TO  THE  TEACHER. 

I.  It  ia  supposed  that  those  pupils  who  have  gone  through  the  First  and  Second  Head- 
ers, and  observed  the  infleptions  as  there  designated,  have  progressed  so  far  in  forming 
Jiabits  of  correct  reading  that  they  may  now  profitably  give  some  attention  to  elocution- 
ary principles  and  rules.  We  suggest,  therefore,  that  the  reading-class  should  repeat- 
edly go  through  with  the  "  Elements  of  Elocution,1 '  not  only  by  reading  aloud  the  exam- 
ples, but  by  selecting  daily,  at  the  beginning  or  close  of  each  reading  exercise,  and  from 
whatever  sources  they  choose,  examples  illustrating  some  one  Rule  or  Note. 

II.  As  the  more  difficult  words  in  each  reading  lesson  are  defined  at  its  close,  and  in 
that  particular  sense  in  which  they  are  used  in  the  passages  referred  to,  these  definitions 
may  be  made  to  contribute  greatly  to  a  correct  knowledge  of  the  lesson  read.  To  this 
end  the  lesson  should  always  be  studied  in  advance  by  the  pupil,  who,  after  reading  a 
verse,  should  explain  these  more  difficult  words  by  substituting  in  their  places  either  the 
definitions  given,  or  such  terms  of  his  own  selection  as  may  answer  the  same  purpose. 
The  benefits  of  this  defining  exercise  to  pupils  in  this  stage  of  advancement  will  not  be 
inconsiderable ;  for,  besides  contributing  to  a  better  knowledge  of  the  lessons  read,  it 
will  cultivate  a  habit  of  reading  understanding^,  and  also  call  particular  attention  to 
the  meaning  of  nearly  a  thousand  individual  words  in  this  Reader  alone. 

III.  In  the  words  defined,  particular  attention  should  be  paid  to  their  correct  accentu- 
ation, and  also  to  the  correct  sounds  of  the  letters,  as  designated  by  the  accompanying 
marks,  which  are  explained  by  the  Pronouncing  Key  on  page  14.  The  pupil  should  be 
required  to  give  the  authority  for  the  pronunciation  of  all  the  more  difficult  or  uncom- 
mon words  defined  by  reference  to  the  Key;  thus,  aech'-Tve*,  "Italian  sound  of  &,  as 
in  far,  father;  €  hard,  like  k;  I  long;  and  soft  »,  like  z.u  This  will  compel  a  familiar- 
ity with  the  Key,  and  train  the  ear  to  nice  distinctions  of  sounds,  indispensable  requi- 
sites in  securing  a  cultivated  elocutionary  taste. 


k  tfjaco-'JtK*. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  one  thousand  eight  hundred 
and  sixty,  by 

HARPER  &  BROTHERS, 

in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  Southern  District  of  New  York. 


r^TPT 


w 


74SL 


PREFACE. 


In  the  Third  Reader  of  the  "School  and  Family  Series"  the  Elocu- 
tionary  Kules  contained  in  the  Second  are  repeated  in  that  part  entitled 
"Elements  of  Elocution,"  with  some  few  additions.  Instead  of  multiply- 
ing sets  of  rules,  which  only  serve  to  perplex  both  teacher  and  pupils,  wc 
have  given  the  same  brief  rules,  for  convenience  of  reference,  in  all  the 
Readers. 

The  First  Part  of  this  Reader,  entitled  "  Stories  from  the  Bible,"  and 
comprising  a  connected  series  of  sketches  of  some  of  the  most  interesting 
portions  of  sacred  history,  with  poetical  selections,  etc.,  furnishes  some  very 
fine  lessons  in  reading ;  and  the  whole  has  sufficient  variety  not  to  become 
monotonous.  The  Illustrations  in  this  part  (by  Adams),  which  are  unsur- 
passed in  artistic  execution,  will  not  only  be  found  to  give  much  additional 
interest  to  the  narrative,  but,  it  is  believed,  will  do  much  to  cultivate  in 
children  a  taste  for  the  beautiful. 

Part  Second,  although  specially  designed  to  convey  moral  instruction, 
through  the  medium  of  "  Moral  Lessons,"  is  not  peculiar  in  its  tendencies, 
as  no  pains  have  been  spared  to  give  all  the  Readers  not  only  a  moral,  but 
a  Christian  influence.  To  this  end,  the  numerous  opportunities  which  are 
presented,  throughout  all  the  departments  of  Natural  History,  of  illustrating 
the  wisdom,  goodness,  and  power  of  the  Creator,  have  not  been  neglected. 

In  the  Third  Part,  which  treats  of  the  first  great  division  of  animal  life, 
the  attempt  has  been  made,  and,  it  is  hoped,  successfully,  to  invest  the 
subject  with  a  great  degree  of  interest  for  children  ;  to  popularize  it  to  their 
capacities  ;  to  give  all  desirable  variety  to  the  lessons,  as  exercises  in  read- 
ing; and  to  convey  as  much  positive  information  as  would  be  compatible 
with  these  requisites  for  a  good  reading-book.  As  narrative  is  that  kind  of 
reading  which  is  easiest  understood  by  children,  it  is  employed  here,  to  a 
great  extent,  in  the  descriptive  portions,  while  numerous  interesting  inci- 
dents of  animal  life,  illustrating  traits  of  character,  habits,  etc.,  and  both 
poetical  and  prose  selections,  effectually  relieve  it  of  that  sameness  of  style 
and  matter  which  is  found  in  works  of  merely  descriptive  zoology. 

In  the  Fourth  Part,  "Miscellaneous,"  we  have  retained  a  few  old  selec- 
tions, because  they  have  stood  the  test  of  Time — the  only  true  standard  of 
taste — and  because,  although  old  to  us,  they  will  be  new  to  every  succeed- 
ing generation. 

To  the  artist,  Charles  Parsons,  Esq. ,  of  this  city,  I  am  under  great  ob- 
ligations for  the  beautiful  manner  in  which  he  has  earned  out  my  views  in 
the  Natural  History  illustrations  in  this  and  other  numbers  of  the  series, 
and  also  for  many  beautiful  designs  in  other  portions  of  the  works. 

M.  Willson. 

051 


CONTENTS. 


Page 

Elements  of  Elocution 7 

Key  to  the  Sounds  of  the  Letters 14 

PART  I. 

LeMon  STORIES  FROM  THE  BIBLE. 

I.  My  Mother's  Bible* 15 

II.  The  Creation 16 

III.  The  Beginning  of  Sin.     The  Garden  of  Eden 17 

IV.  Cain  and  Abel 19 

V.  The  Flood 20 

VI.  Destruction  of  the  Wicked  by  the  Flood 23 

VIL  The  Ark  and  Dove 24 

VHL  The  Return  of  the  Dove 25 

IX.  Abraham  and  Lot :  Destruction  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah 25 

X.  Abraham  offering  Isaac 27 

XI.  Isaac  and  Rebecca 29 

XII.  Jacob  and  Esau 30 

XIII.  Jacob's  History 32 

XIV.  Joseph  and  his  Brethren 34 

XV.  Joseph  a  Prisoner  in  Egypt 36 

XVI.  Joseph  Governor  of  Egypt 39 

XVII.  Joseph  makes  himself  known  to  his  Brethren 41 

XVIII.  The  Story  of  Moses 46 

XIX.  Moses  saved  by  the  King's  Daughter 48 

XX.  David  and  Goliath 50 

XXI.  David,  Saul,  and  Jonathan 53 

XXII.  Solomon,  the  Wise  King 57 

XXIII.  Wise  Sayings  and  Advice  of  King  Solomon 60 

XXIV.  Worth  of  the  Scriptures 62 

PART  II. 

MORAL  LESSONS. 

I.  Charlie  Porter 63 

II.  Be  honest,  and  dare  to  tell  the  Truth „ 64 

III.  George  Jones  and  Charles  Barlow 66 

IV.  Three  Lessons  of  Industry.     Little  by  Little 68 

V.  Robert  Bruce  and  Timour  the  Tartar 70 

VI.  The  Boy  who  was  told  to  try  again 71 

VII.  Try  Again 73 

VIII.  Story  of  John  Martin 74 

IX.  The  First  Temptation 78 

X.  How  big  was  Alexander  f 80 

XI.  Earthly  and  Heavenly  Interest 82 

XII.  The  Two  Robbers 83 

XIII.  Be  kind  to  the  Loved  Ones  at  Home S5 

XIV.  My  Father's  at  the  Helm 8C 

PART  m. 

ZOOLOGY. 

THE    MAMMALIA,   OR   FIRST   PART   OF   THE   NATURAL   HISTORY   OF   ANIMALS. 

INTRODUCTORY  LESSON. 

Classes  into  which  the  Mammalia  are  divided 87 

CHAPTER  I. 

four-handed  animals  ( Quadrumana). 

I.   Divisions  of  the  Monkey  Tribe 89 

n.  Apes.    The  Orang-Outang 90 

*  Those  designated  by  italics  are  in  poetry. 


CONTENTS.  V 

Lesson  P*i?e 

III.  Story  of  a  Young  Orang-Outang , 93 

IV.  Monkeys  and  Baboons  of  the  Old  World •• 95 

V.  Story  of  a  Senegal  Monkey 98 

VI.  The  Monkeys  of  South  America 101 

VII.  Tlie  Monkey 103 

Vni.  The  Lemurs  and  the  Bats 104 

CHAPTER  II. 
CARNIVOROUS  OE  FLESH-EATING  ANIMALS. 

First  Division :  Animals  of  the  Cat  kind  (Felidce),  embracing  Lions,  Tigers,  Leopards, 
Lynxes,  Panthers,  and  both  the  wild  and  the  tame  Cats. 

I.  The  Lion 107 

EL.  Anecdotes  of  Lions 109 

HI.  A  Lion  Hunt „ 112 

IV.  The  Lion  and  Giraffe 115 

V.  The  Tiger,  and  other  Animals  of  the  Cat  kind 117 

VI.  Anecdotes  of  the  Tiger 120 

VII.  Anecdotes  of  Cats 122 

Vin.  The  Kitten  playing  with  falling  Leaves 120 

IX.  The  Menagerie : 127 

Second  Division  of  the  Carnivorous  or  Flesh-eating  Quadrupeds :  Animals  of  the  DoG 
kind,  embracing  the  Dogs,  Wolves,  Foxes,  Jackals,  and  Hyenas. 

X.  Animals  of  the  Dog  kind 130 

XI.  Character  and  Habits  of  Wolves 132 

XII.  The  Fiddler  and  the  Wolves 136 

XIII.  Character  and  Habits  of  Foxes 139 

XIV.  Another  Fox  Story 142 

XV.  Character  and  Habits  of  Dogs 144 

XVI.  The  French  Merchant  and  his  Dog 148 

XVH.  The  Old  Sheiiherd's  Dog 151 

Third  Division  of  the  Carnivorous  or  Flesh-eating  Quadrupeds :  Animals  of  the  Weasel 
kind,  embracing  the  Weasel,  the  Ermine,  the  Mink,  the  Skunk,  the  Sable,  the  Martens, 
and  the  Otters. 

XVIII.  Animals  of  the  Weasel  kind  (Mustelidce) 152 

XIX.  Character  and  Habits  of 

I.  The  Weasel 155 

H.  The  Mink 156 

HI.  The  Ferret 158 

IV.  The  Otter 160 

Fourth  Division  of  the  Carnivorous  or  Flesh-eating  Quadrupeds :  Animals  of  the  Bear 
kind,  embracing  the  Bear,  the  Raccoon,  the  Badger,  the  Coati,  the  Wolverine,  the 
Grison,  the  Ratel,  and  the  Panda. 

XX.  Animals  of  the  Bear  kind  (Ursidos) 1C2 

XXI.  The  Bear :  its  Character  and  Habits  illustrated : 

I.  The  Grizzly  Bear 164 

II.  The  Polar  Bear 166 

Fifth  Division  of  the  Carnivorous  or  Flesh-eating  Quadrupeds :  Animals  of  the  Seal  kind, 
embracing  the  Common  Seals,  the  Sea  Lion,  Sea  Bear,  and  Walrus. 

XXn.  Animal3ofthe  Seal  kind  (Phocidce) 1G9 

XXIII.  Their  Character  and  Habits  illustrated : 

I.  The  Common  Seals 173 

n.  The  Sea  Lion 176 

ni.  The  Walrus,  or  Sea  Horse 177 

Sixth  Division  of  the  Carnivorous  or  Flesh-eating  Quadrupeds :  Animals  of  the  Shrew 

kind,  embracing  the  Hedgehog,  the  Shrews,  and  the  Moles. 
XXP7.  Animals  of  the  Shrew  kind ISO 

CHAPTER  m. 

HOOFED  QUADRUPEDS  (Ungulata). 

First  Division :  Thick-skinned  Quadrupeds;  embracing  the  Elephant,  Rhinoceros,  Hip- 
popotamus, Horse,  Swine,  Hyrax,  Tapir,  etc. 

1.  The  Elephant 182 

The  Wild  Elephant    184 


VI  CONTENTS. 

Lessen  Page 

II.  Character  and  Habits  of  the  Elephant 185 

III.  The  lihinoceros  and  the  Hippopotamus 187 

IV.  Animals  of  the  Swine  kind.     The  Wild  Boar 189 

V.  Animals  of  the  Horse  kind 191 

VI.  Anecdotes  of  the  Horse 193 

VIL  Work  Horses  resting  on  a  Sunday 198 

The  Steed  Gamarra .' 199 

VHL  The  Wild  Horse  of  the  Prairies 200 

Herd  of  Wild  Tartar  Horses 201 

IX.  The  Arab's  Farewell  to  his  Horse , 202 

second  Division  of  the  Hoofed  Quadrupeds :  the  Ruminating  Animals  ;  embracing  the 

'Jamels  and  Giraffe,  Animals  of  the  Deer  kind,  of  the  Ox  kind,  Sheep  and  Goats,  and 
Antelopes. 

X.  Camels  and  Giraffes 205 

XL  Tlie  Camel 207 

XII.  Animals  of  the  Deer  kind  (jCervidce) 209 

XHL  Deer  Hunting 213 

XIV.  The  Reindeer 215 

XV.  Animals  of  the  Ox  kind  (Bovidce) 217 

XVI.  Sheep  (Ow'dce),  and  Goats  (Cajwidce) 219 

XVII.  The  Pet  Lamb 222 

XVIII.  Lambs  at  Play 223 

XIX.  Animals  of  the  Antelope  kind  (.Antilopidc?) 225 

XX.  Afar  in  the  Desert :  Nature's  Solitude 227 

XXI.  Toothless  Quadrupeds  (Edentata) 229 

CHAPTER  IV. 
gnawing  quadkupeds  (Rodentia). 

I.  Gnawing  Quadrupeds 231 

IL  The  Squirrel , 235 

CHAPTER  V. 

pouched  quadrupeds  (Marsupialia) 236 

CHAPTER  VL  v 

ANIMALS  OF  THE  WHALE  KIND  (CetaCCO) 238 

Zoology,  and  what  it  Teaches 240 

PART  IV. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 

L  The  Discontented  Pendulum 243 

n.  Spring  ....   246 

LH.  Summer ■ 247 

IV.  Autumn 248 

V.  Winter 249 

VI.  The  Story  of  George  Andrews 250 

"VTI.  My  Mother's  Grave 253 

VHI.  The  Old  Arm-chair 255 

IX.  The  Journey  of  a  Day 256 

X.  Journey  of  a  Day— Continued 259 

XI.  The  Frost 261 

XII.  The  Nine  Parts  of  Speech 262 

XIII.  Trust,  in  God  and  do  the  Right 263 

XIV.  God  is  Love 264 

Daily  Counsel 264 


ELEMENTS  OF  ELOCUTION. 


Rule  I. — Direct  questions,  or  those  that  can  be  answered 
by  yes  or  no,  generally  require  the  rising  inflection,  and  their 
answers  the  falling. 

Examples. -Do  you  thinfche  will  come  to-day'  ?  No* ;  I  think  he  will  not*.— Was  that 
Henry'?  No*;  it  was  John\—  Did  you  see  William'?  Yes*,  I  did*.— Are  you  going  to 
town  to-day'  ?    No*,  I  shall  go  to-morrow*. 

MODIFICATIONS   OP   KULE    I. 

Note  I. — Answers  that  are  given  in  a  careless  or  indifferent  manner,  or 
in  a  tone  of  slight  disrespect,  take  the  rising  inflection  in  all  cases. 

Example^— Did  you  see  William'  ?  I  did'.— What  did  he  say  to  you*  ?  Not  much'. 
See,  also,  Lesson  II.,  p.  39,  of  Second  Reader. 

Note  II. — Direct  questions,  when  they  have  the  nature  of  an  appeal,  or 
are  spoken  in  an  exclamatory  manner,  take  the  falling  inflection.  In  these 
cases  the  voice  often  falls  below  the  general  pitch,  contrary  to  the  general 
rule  for  the  falling  inflection. 

Examples.— 7s  not  that  a  beautiful  sight*  ?—  Will  you  persist  in  doing  it*  ?—ls  it  right*  ? 
—Is  it  just*  ? 

Was  ever  woman  in  this  humor  wooed '  ? 
Was  ever  woman  in  this  humor  won*  ? 

Note  III. — When  a  direct  question  is  not  understood,  and  is  repeated 
with  emphasis,  the  repeated  question  takes  the  falling  inflection. 

Examples. — Will  you  speak  to  him  to-day'  ?  If  the  question  is  not  understood,  it  is 
repeated  with  the  falling  inflection,  thus :  Will  you  speak  to  him  to-day*  ?— Are  you  going 
to  Salem'?    I  said,  Are  you  going  to  Salem*  ? 

Rule  II.  —  The  pause  of  suspension,  denoting  that  the 
sense  is  unfinished,  such  as  a  succession  of  particulars  that 
are  not  emphatic,  cases  of  direct  address,  sentences  implying 
condition,  the  case  absolute,  etc.,  generally  requires  the  ris- 
ing inflection. 

Examples. — John',  James',  and  William',  come  here.— The  great',  the  good',  the  hon- 
ored', the  noble',  the  wealthy',  alike  pass  away. 
Friends',  Romans',  countrymen',  lend  me  your  ears. 
Jesus  saith  unto  him,  Simon',  son  of  Jonas',  lovest  thou  me'? 


8  ELEMENTS   OF   ELOCUTION. 

Ye  hills',  and  dales',  ye  rivers',  woods',  and  plains', 
And  ye  that  live  and  move,  fair  creatures',  teir, 
Tell,  if  ye  saw,  how  came  I  thusv ;  how  herev  ? 

Note. — For  cases  in  which  emphatic  succession  of  particulars  modifies 
this  rule,  see  Rule  VIII. 

Rule  III. — Indirect  questions,  or  those  which  can  not  be 
answered  by  yes  or  no,  generally  require  the  falling  inflec- 
tion, and  their  answers  the  same. 

Examples. — When  did  you  see  himx  ?  Yesterday\ — When  will  he  come  again N  ?  To- 
morrow\ 

Who  say  the  people  that  I  amx  ?  They  answering,  said,  John  the  Baptist^ ;  but  some 
say  EliasN;  and  others  say  that  one  of  the  old  prophetsv  is  risen  again. 

Note. — But  when  the  indirect  question  is  one  asking  a  repetition  of  what 
was  not  at  first  understood,  it  takes  the  rising  inflection.  "What  did  he 
say^  ?"  is  an  indirect  question,  with  the  falling  inflection,  asking  for  inform- 
ation. But  if  I  myself  heard  the  person  speak,  and  did  not  fully  under- 
stand him,  and  then  ask  some  person  to  repeat  what  he  said,  I  give  my 
question  the  rising  inflection,  thus,  "  What"  did  he  say'?"  (Remark.— 
Perhaps  the  true  reason  of  the  rising  inflection  here  on  the  word  say  is 
because  it  is  preceded  by  an  emphatic  word  (what)  with  the  falling  inflec- 
tion.    See  note  to  Rule  IV.) 

Rule  IY.  —  A  completion  of  the  sense,  whether  at  the 
close  or  any  other  part  of  the  sentence,  requires  the  falling 
inflection. 

Examples.— He  that  saw  me'  saw  you  also\  and  he  who  aided  me  once'  will  aid  me 
again\ 

In  the  beginning,  God  created  the  heavens  and  the  eart>.\  And  the  earth  was  without 
form,  and  voidv ;  and  darkness  was  on  the  faceof  the  deepN :  and  the  spirit  of  God  moved 
upon  the  face  of  the  waters  \ 

Note. — But  when  strong  emphasis,  with  the  falling  inflection,  comes 
near  the  close  of  a  sentence,  the  voice  often  takes  the  rising  inflection  at 
the  close. 

Examples. — If  William  does  not  come,  I  think  John>  will  be  here'.— If  he  should  come, 
wliaP  would  you  do'? 

Cassitjs.  What  night  is  this  ? 

Casca.  A  very  pleasing  night  to  honest^  men'. 

Proceed}^  I  am  attentive'. 

This  is  the  course  rather  of  our  enemies^  than  of  friends^  of  our  country's  liberty'. 

If  the  witness  does  not  believe  in  God,  or  a  future  state?  you  can  not  swears  him'. 

Rule  Y. — Words  and  clauses  connected  by  the  disjunctive 
or,  generally  require  the  rising  inflection  before  the  disjunct- 
ive, and  the  falling  after  it.     Where  several  words  are  thus 


ELEMENTS  OF  ELOCUTION".  9 

connected  in  the  same  clause,  the  rising  inflection  is  given  to 
all  except  the  last. 

Examples.— Will  you  go'  or  stay^  ?    I  will  go\— Will  you  go  in  the  buggy',  or  the  car- 
riage', or  the  cars',  or  the  coach x  ?    I  will  go  in  the  cars\ 
He  may  study  law',  or  medicine',  or  divinity v ;  or',  he  may  enter  into  traded 
The  baptism  of  John,  was  it  from  heaven',  or  of  men^  ? 
Did  he  travel  for  health',  or  for  pleasure x  ? 
Did  he  resemble  his  father',  or  his  mother^  ? 

Note  I. — When  the  disjunctive  or  is  made  emphatic,  with  the  falling 
inflection,  it  is  followed  by  the  rising  inflection,  in  accordance  with  the 
note  to  Kule  IV.;  as,  "He  must  have  traveled  for  health,  ors  pleas- 
ure'." 

Examples. — He  must  either  works,  or^  study'. — He  must  be  a  mechanic,  orv  a  lawyer'. 
—He  must  get  his  living  in  one  way,  orv  the  other'. 

Note  II. — When  or  is  used  conjunctively,  as  no  contrast  is  denoted  by- 
it,  it  requires  the  rising  inflection  after  as  well  as  before  it,  except  when 
the  clause  or  sentence  expresses  a  completion  of  the  sense. 

Examples.— Did  he  give  you  money',  or  food',  or  clothing'  ?   No\  he  gave  me  nothing^. 

Rule  VI. — When  negation  is  opposed  to  affirmation,  the 
former  takes  the  rising  and  the  latter  the  falling  inflection,  in 
whatever  order  they  occur.  Comparison  and  contrast  (an- 
tithesis) come  under  the  same  head. 

Examples. — I  did  not  hear  him',  I  saw  him\— I  said  he  was  a  good  soldier\  notx  a  good  . 

citizen'.— He  will  not  come  to-day',  but  to-morrow  ^ He  did  not  call  me',  but  you\ — He 

means  dutiful\  not  undutiful'.— I  come  to  bury  Csesarv,  not  to  praise  him'. 

This  is  no  time  for  a  tribunal  of  justice',  but  for  showing  mercy^;  not  for  accusation', 
but  for  philanthropy^ ;  not  for  trial',  but  for  pardon v ;  not  for  sentence  and  execution', 
but  for  compassion  and  kindness\ 

Comparison  and  Contrast.— Homer  was  the  greater  genius',  Virgil  the  better  artist x ; 
in  the  one  we  most  admire  the  man',  in  the  other  the  work\  — There  were  tyrants  at 
home',  and  robbers  abroad\ 

By  honor'  and  dishonor x ;  by  evil  report'  and  good  report v ;  as  deceivers',  and  yet  trueN ; 
as  unknown',  and  yet  well  known x ;  as  dying',  and  behold  we  livex ;  as  chastened',  and 
not  killed^;  as  sorrowful',  yet  always  rejoicing^;  as  poor',  yet  making  many  richx;  as 
having  nothing',  yet  possessing  all  things\ 

When  our  vices  leave  us',  we  flatter  ourselves  we  leave  them\ 

The  prodigal  robs  his  heir',  the  miser  robs  himself y. 

Note  I. — Negative  sentences  which  imply  a  continuance  of  thought,  al- 
though they  may  not  be  opposed  to  affirmation,  frequently  close  with  the 
rising  inflection ;  as, 

True  politeness  is  not  a  mere  compliance  with  arbitrary  custom'. 

Do  not  suppose  that  I  would  deceive  you'. 

These  things  do  not  make  your  government'. 

This  is  nearly  allied  in  character  to  Kule  IX. ;  and  such  examples  as 
those  under  Note  I.  may  be  considered  as  expressive  of  tender  emotion,  in 
opposition  to  strong  emotion.     Affirmative  sentences  similar  to  the  fore- 

A2 


10  ELEMENTS   OF   ELOCUTION. 

going  require  the  rising  inflection,  in  accordance  with  Rule  IX>,  when 
they  express  tender  emotion ;  as, 

I  trust  you  will  hear  me'.    I  am  sure  you  are  mistaken'. 

But,  sir,  the  poor  must  not  Btarve';  they  must  be  taken  care  of. 

Note  II. — When,  in  contrasted  sentences,  negation  is  attended  with 
deep  and  calm  feeling,  it  requires  the  falling  inflection. 
Example. — We  are  perplexed',  but  not  in  despair' ;  persecuted',  but  not  forsaken\ 

Rule  VII. — For  the  sake  of  variety  and  harmony,  the  last 
pause  but  one  in  a  sentence  is  usually  preceded  by  the  rising 
inflection. 

Examples. — The  minor  longs  to  be  of  age^ ;  then  to  be  a  man  of  business v;  then  to  ar- 
rive at  honors' ;  then  to  retired 
Time  taxe3  our  health',  our  limbs',  our  faculties',  our  strength',  and  our  features\ 

Note. — The  foregoing  rule  is  sometimes  departed  from  in  the  case  of 
an  emphatic  succession  of  particulars,  for  which,  see  Rule  VIII. 

In  the  second  example  above,  the  rising  inflection  is  given  to  the 
words  health,  limbs,  etc.,  both  because  they  are  not  attended  with  strong 
emphasis,  and  because  they  are  followed  by  the  pause  of  suspension. 

Rule  VIII. — 1st.  A  Commencing  Series. 

In  an  emphatic  series  of  particulars,  where  the  series  be- 
gins the  sentence,  but  does  not  either  end  it  or  form  com- 
plete sense,  every  particular  except  the  last  should  have  the 
falling  inflection. 

Example.  —  Our  disordered  hearts  \  our  guilty  passions\  our  violent  prejudices\  and 
misplaced  desires',  are  the  instruments  of  the  trouble  which  we  endure, 

2d.  A  Concluding  Series. 
"When  the  series  ends  the  sentence,  ov  forms  complete 
sense,  every  particular  in  the  series,  except  the  last  but  one, 
should  have  the  falling  inflection ;  and,  indeed,  all  should  have 
it,  if  the  closing  member  of  the  series  is  of  sufficient  length 
to  admit  a  pause  with  the  rising  inflection,  before  the  end. 

Example. — Charity  suffereth  loug',  and  is  kindx;  charity  envieth  notv;  charity  vauni- 
eth  not  itself';  is  not  puffed  upx;  doth  not  behave  itself  unseemly^;  seeketh  not  her 
ovm> ;  is  not  easily  jyrovoked' ;  thinketh  no  evils. 

Note. — The  degree  of  emphasis,  and  often  of  solemnity,  with  which  the 
successive  particulars  are  mentioned,  decides,  in  cases  of  the  pause  of  sus- 
pension (see  Rule  II.),  whether  the  rising  or  the  falling"  inflection  is  to  be 
used.  Thus,  a  succession  of  particulars  which  one  reader  deems  unimpor- 
tant, will  be  read  by  him  throughout  with  the  rising  inflection,  while  an- 
other, feeling  more  deeply,  will  use  the  falling  inflection.     Thus : 


ELEMENTS   OF   ELOCUTION.  1  I 

1.  The  birds  Bing',  the  Iambs  play',  the  grass  grows',  the  trees  are  green',  and  all  na> 
ture  is  beautiful*. 

2.  The  blind  see* ;  the  lame  walk* ;  the  lepers  are  cleansed* ;  the  deaf  hear* ;  the  dead 
are  raised* ;  and  to  the  poor'  the  gospel  is  preached*. 

In  this  example  all  the  particulars  have  the  falling  inflection. 

The  first  line  in  Mark  Antony's  harangue  is  read  differently  by  equally 
good  readers ;  but  the  difference  arises  wholly  from  their  different  appre- 
ciation of  the  spirit  and  intention  of  the  speaker.     Thus : 

Friends',  Eomans',  countrymen',  lend  me  your  ears* ! 
Friends',  Romans',  countrymen'',  lend  me  your  ears* ! 

If  Antony  designed  to  characterize  "  countrymen"  with  peculiar  empha- 
sis, he  gave  it  the  falling  inflection,  otherwise  he  gave  the  word  no  greater 
prominence  than  the  preceding  words  "friends"  and  "Romans." 

Rule  IX. — Expressions  of  tender  emotion,  such  as  grief, 
pity,  kindness,  gentle  joy,  a  gentle  reproof,  gentle  appeal, 
gentle  entreaty  or  expostulation,  etc.,  commonly  require  a 
gentle  rising  inflection. 

Examples. — Mary'!  Mary'!  do*  not  do  so'. 

My  mother'!  when  I  learned  that  thou  wast  dead', 

Say*,  wast  thou  conscious'  of  the  tears'  I  shed'  ? 

Hovered  thy  spirit  o'er  thy  sorrowing  son', 

Wretch  even  then',  life's  journey  just  begun'? 

I  would  not  live  alway';  I  ask  not  to  stay, 

Where  storm  after  storm  rises  dark  o'er  the  way'; 

I  would  not  live  alway,  thus  fettered  by  sin' ; 

Temptation  without,  and  corruption  within'; — 
Is  your  father'  well',  the  old  man'  of  whom  ye  spake'?    Is  he'  yet  alive'  ? 

Rule  X. — Expressions  of  strong  emotion,  such  as  the  lan- 
guage of  exclamation  (not  designed  as  a  question),  authority, 
surprise,  distress,  denunciation,  lamentation,  earnest  entreaty, 
command,  reproach,  terror,  anger,  hatred,  envy,  revenge,  etc., 
and  strong  affirmation,  require  the  falling  inflection. 

Ex\mp^s. — What  a  piece  of.  work  is  man* !  How  noble  in  reason* !  how  Infinite  in 
faculties* !  in  action',  how  like  an  angel* !  in  apprehension',  how  like  a  God* ! 

My  lords,  I  am  amazed'' ;  yes,  my  lords,  I  am  amazed''  at  his  Grace's  speech. 

Woe  unto  you  Pharisees* !     Woe  unto  you  Scribes* ! 

You  blocks*,  you  stones*,  you  worse  than  senseless  things* !  „ 

Go  to  the  ant*,  thou  sluggard* ;  consider  her  ways,  and  be  wise.\ 

Jesu3  saith  unto  her,  Mary'.    She  turned  herself,  and  said  unto  him,  RabbonV. 

I  tell  you,  though  you\  though  all  the  world'',  though  an  angel  from  heaven'  should  de- 
clare the  truth  of  it,  I  could  not  believe  it. 

I  dare''  accusation.    I  dcftf  the  honorable  gentleman. 

I'd  rather  be  a  dogs,  and  bay  the  moon\  than  such  a  Romrm'. 


12  ELEMENTS  OF   ELOCUTION, 

Cas.  O  ye  godsy  I  ye  gods'"  I  must  I  endure  all  this'  ? 
Bbtj.  All  this  ?  ay  \  and  more''. 

Note. — When  exclamatory  sentences  become  questions  they  require  the 
rising  inflection. 
Examples. — What  are  you  saying'!— Where  are  you  going'! 
They  planted  by  your  care' !    Nox !  your  oppressions  planted  them  in  America*. 

THE   CIECUMFLEX    OE   WAVE. 

Rule  XI. — Hypothetical  expressions,  sarcasm,  and  irony, 
and  sentences  implying  a  comparison  or  contrast  that  is  not 
fully  expressed,  often  require  a  union  of  the  two  inflections 
on  the  same  syllable. 

Explanation. — In  addition  to  the  rising  and  falling  inflections,  there 
is  what  is  called  the  circumflex  or  wave,  which  is  a  union  of  the  two  on  the 
same  syllable.  It  is  a  significant  twisting  or  waving  of  the  voice,  generally 
first  downward  and  then  upward,  but  sometimes  the  reverse,  and  is  at- 
tended with  a  sensible  protraction  of  sound  on  the  syllable  thus  inflected. 
It  is  marked  thus:  f  ")  as,  "I  may  possibly  go  to-morrow,  though  I  can 
not  go  to-day."     "I  did  it  myself,  sir.     Surprising' I1     You  did  it!" 

Examples. — If  the  righteous  scarcely  he  saved,  -where  shall  the  ungodly  and  the  sin- 
ner appear? 
I  grant  you  I  was  down,  and  out  of  hreath ;  and  so  was  he. 
And  but  for  these  vile  guns,  he  would  himself  have  been  a  soldier  \ 
Queen.  Hamlet',  you  have  your  father  much  offended. 
Hamlet.  Madam',  you  have  my  father  much  offended. 
Shtlook.  If  it  will  feed  nothing  else,  it  will  feed  my  rev&nge. 
Hath  a  dog  money'  ?    Is  it  possible  a  cur  can  lend  two  thousand  ducats'  ? 
They  tell  us,  to  be  moderate;  but  th&y,  tidy  are  to  revel  in  profusion. 
You  pretend  to  reason'  ?    You  don't  so  much  as  know  the  first  elements  of  reasoning. 

Note. — A  nice  distinction  in  sense  sometimes  depends  upon  the  right 
use  of  the  inflections. 
Examples.—"  I  did  not  give  a  sixpence'." 
u  I  did  not  give  a  sixpence  V 

The  circumflex  on  sixpence  implies  that  I  gave  more  or  less  than  that 
sum ;  but  the  falling  inflection  on  the  same  word  implies  that  I  gave  noth- 
ing at  all. 

"Hume  said  he  would  go  twenty  miles  to  hear  Whitefield  preach," 
(here  the  circumflex  implies  the  contrast),  "but  he  would  take  no  pains  to 
hear  an  ordinary'  preacher." 

<*  A  man  who  is  in  the  daily  use  of  ardent  spirits,  if  he  does  not  become  a  drunkard  \  is 
in  danger  of  losing  his  health  and  character." 

The  rising  inflection  on  the  closing  syllable  of  drunkard  would  pervert 
the  meaning  wholly,  and  assert  that,  in  order  to  preserve  health  and  char- 
acter, one  must  become  a  drunkard. 

"The  dog  would  have  died  if  they  had  not  cut  off  his  head." 


ELEMENTS   OF    ELOCUTION.  13 

The  falling  inflection  on  died  would  make  the  cutting  off  his  head  nec- 
essary to  saving  his  life. 

A  physician  says  of  a  patient,  "  He  is  betterV  This  implies  a  positive 
amendment.  But  if  he  says,  "He  is  better',''  it  denotes  only  a  partial 
and  perhaps  doubtful  amendment,  and  implies,  "But  he  is  still  dangerous- 
ly sick." 

THE   MONOTONE. 

Rule  XII. — The  monotone,  which  is  a  succession  of  words 
on  the  same  key  or  pitch,  and  is  not  properly  an  inflection, 
is  often  employed  in  passages  of  solemn  denunciation,  sub- 
lime description,  or  expressing  deep  reverence  and  awe.  It 
is  marked  with  the  short  horizontal  dash  over  the  accented 
vowel.  (^HP  It  must  not  be  mistaken  for  the  long  sound 
of  the  vowels,  as  given  in  the  Pronouncing  Key. 

Examples. — And  one  cried  unto  another,  and  said,  Holy,  holy,  holy  is  the  Lord  of 
hosts.     The  whole  earth  is  full  of  his  glory. 

Blessing,  honor,  glory,  and  power  he  unto  him  that  sltteth  on  the  throne,  and  to  the 
Lamb  forever  and  ever. 

In  thoughts  from  the  visions  of  the  night,  when  deep  .sleep  falleth  on  men,  fear  came 
upon  me,  and  trembling  which  made  all  my  bones  to  shake.  Then  a  spirit  passed  before 
my  face ;  the  hair  of  my  flesh  stood  up.  It  stood  still,  but  I  could  not  discern  the  form 
thereof:  an  Image  was  before  my  eyes,  there  was  silence,  and  I  heard  a  voice,  saying, 
Shall  mortal  man  be  more  just  than  God ?    Shfill  a  man  be  more  pure  than  his  Maker  ? 

EMPHASIS. 

Emphasis  is  a  forcible  stress  of  voice  upon  some  word  or 
words  in  a  sentence  on  account  of  their  significancy  and  im- 
portance. Sometimes  it  merely  gives  prolonged  loudness  to 
a  word,  but  generally  the  various  inflections  are  connected 
with  it.  Thus  it  not  only  gives  additional  force  to  language, 
but  the  sense  often  depends  upon  it. 

Examples.— I  did  not  say  he  struck  me';  I  said  he  struck  John''. 

I  did  not  say  he  struck  me ;  I  said  he  pushed  me. 

I  did  not  say  he  struck  me;  I  said  John  did. 

I  did  not  sdy  he  struck  me ;  but  I  wrote  it. 

I  did  not  say  he  struck  me;  but  John  said  he  did. 

He  that  can  not  bear  a  jest,  should  never  makes  one. 

It  is  not  so  easy  to  hide  one's  faults  as  to  mend  them. 

Cassius.  I  may  do  that  I  shall  be  sorry  for. 

Bbtttt/s.  You  haves  done  that  you  shduld  be  sorry  for. 

(The  varied  effects  of  emphatic  stress,  and  emphatic  inflection,  are  so  fully 
shown  in  the  Reading  Lessons  of  all  the  Readers,  as  to  need  no  further  il- 
lustration.) 


14  ELEMENTS   OF   ELOCUTION. 


KEY 

TO  THE  SOUNDS  OF  THE  LETTERS,  AS  DESIGNATED  IN  THE  SCHOOL  AND 
FAMILY  READERS. 

The  system  of  pronunciation  here  adopted  is  that  of  Noah  Webster,  as 
contained  in  the  later  and  improved  editions  of  his  Dictionary ;  and  the 
indicative  marks  used  are  the  same  as  those  found  in  Webster's  late  "Pro- 
nouncing and  Defining  Dictionary,"  edited  by  Prof.  Goodrich. 

a,  long,  as  in  fame,  aim,  day,  break,  cake,  make ;  heard  also  in  sail,  veil,  gauge,  inveigh. 
A,  short,  as  in  fat,  at,  carry,  tariff;  heard  also  in  plaid,  bade,  raillery,  etc. 
a,  Italian,  as  in  far,  father,  balm,  piith ;  heard  also  in  heart,  hearth,  aunt,  haunch. 
A,  as  in  care,  air,  share,  pair,  bear,  fair,  parent ;  heard  also  in  where,  heir. 
A,  as  in  last,  ask,  grass,  dance,  branch,  staff,  graft,  pass,  chance,  chant. 
A,  sound  of  broad  a,  as  in  all,  call,  talk,  haul,  swarm,  awe ;  heard  also  in  naught,  taught. 
A,  short  sound  of  broad  a,  as  in  what,  wash.     This  coincides  with  the  o  in  not. 
E,  long,  as  in  me,  mete,  scheme;  heard  also  in  beard,  field,  leisure,  brief,  seize,  key. 
£,  short,  as  in  met,  merry;  heard  also  in  feather,  heifer,  leopard,  any,  friend,  guess. 
K,  like  a  in  care ;  as  in  there,  their,  heir,  where,  ere,  e'er,  whene'er,  etc. 
K,  short  e  before  r,  as  in  term,  verge,  verdure,  prefer,  earth. 
E,  like  long  a,  as  in  prey,  they,  sur  vey. 

X,  like  long  e,  as  in  pique,  machine,  m'ien,  marine.    This  is  the  sound  of  the  French  i. 
I,  long,  as  in  pine,  fine,  Idle ;  heard  also  in  height,  aisle,  oblige,  microscope. 
i,  short,  as  in  pin,  fin,  pit ;  heard  also  in  sieve,  since,  been  (bin),  etc. 
1,  short,  verging  toward  u,  as  in  bird,  firm,  virgin,  dirt. 

o,  long,  as  in  note,  oh,  no,  dome;  heard  also  in  course,  yeoman,  roll,  port,  d5or,  etc. 
6,  short,  as  in  not,  bond ;  heard  also  in  coral,  Corinth.    It  coincides  with  the  a  in  ichat. 
6,  like  short  u,  as  in  dove,  love,  son,  done,  worm;  heard  also  in  does  (duz),  none  (nun). 
O,  like  long  oo,  as  in  prove,  do,  move,  tomb,  lose,  who,  to. 

O,  like  short  oo,  as  in  wolf,  Wolsey.     Tliis  sound  coincides  with  that  of  u  in  bull. 
QO  (short  oo),  as  in  foot,  book,  wool,  wood. 

u,  long,  as  in  mute,  duty,  cube,  unite,  has  the  sound  of  yfl,  slightly  approaching  yoo  when 
it  begins  a  syllable ;  but  in  other  cases  it  is  difficult  to  distinguish  the  sound  of  the  y. 
u,  short,  as  in  but,  tub,  sun ;  heard  also  in  does  (duz),  blood  (blud),  etc. 
f ,  long,  nearly  approaching  oo  when  preceded  by  r,  as  role,  rude,  ruby, 
r,  like  oo  (short  oo),  as  in  full,  bull,  pull,  push,  put  (not  put). 
E  (italic)  marks  a  letter  as  silent,  a3  fallen,  token. 

CONSONANTS. 

C  c  soft  (unmarked),  like  s  sharp,  as  in  cede,  mercy. 

€  c  hard,  like  k,  as  in  call,  carry. 

CH  ch  (unmarked),  like  tsh,  as  in  child,  choose. 

CH  Oh  soft,  like  sh,  as  in  machine,  chaise. 

CH  eh  hard,  like  k,  as  in  chorus,  epoch. 

G  g  hard  (unmarked),  as  in  go,  gallant. 

6  g  soft,  like  j,  as  in  gentle,  aged. 

S  s  sharp  (unmarked),  as  in  same,  gas. 

8  8  soft,  like  z,  as  in  has,  amuse. 

TH  th  shaip  (unmarked),  as  in  thing,  path. 

TH  th  flat  or  vocal,  as  in  thine,  their. 

N°  like  ng,  as  in  lonBger,  con'gress. 

PH  like  /  (unmarked),  as  in  phaeton,  sylph. 

QU  like  kw  (unmarked),  as  in  queen,  inquiry. 

WII  liko  Inv  (unmarked),  as  in  when,  while. 


THIRD    READER, 


PART  L 

STORIES  FROM  THE  BIBLE. 


LESSON  I. 
MY  MOTHER'S  BIBLE. 

1.  This  book  is  all  that's  left  me  now' ! — 

Tears  will  unbidden  start — 
With  faltering  lip  and  throbbing  brow 

I  press  it  to  my  heart. 
For  many  generations  past, 

Here  is  our  family  tree' ; 
My  mother's  hands'  this  Bible  clasp'd' ; 

She,  dying',  gave  it  me\ 


16  WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Part  I. 

2.  Ah !  well  do  I  remember  those 

Whose  names  these  records  bear', 
Who  round  the  hearth-stone  used  to  close 

After  the  evening  prayer, 
And  speak  of  what  these  pages  said, 

In  tones  my  heart  would  thrill' ! 
Though  they  are  with  the  silent  dead, 

Here  are  they  living  still. 

3.  My  father  read  this  holy  book 

To  brothers',  sisters  dear' ; 
How  calm  was  my  poor  mother's  look, 

Who  lean'd  God's  word  to  hear' ! 
Her  angel  face — I  see  it  yet' ! 

What  thronging  memories  come' ! 
Again  that  little  group  is  met 

Within  the  halls  of  home ! 

4.  Thou  truest  friend  man  ever  knew, 

Thy  constancy  I've  tried' ; 
Where  all  were  false  I  found  thee  true, 

My  counselor'  and  guide'. 
The  mines  of  earth  no  treasures  give 

That  could  this  volume  buy' : 

In  teaching  me  the  way  to  live', 

It  taught  me  how  to  die'. 

George  P.  Morris. 


LESSON  II. 

THE   CREATION. 

1.  In  the  beginning1  God  alone  existed.2  There  was 
then  no  earth',  nor  sun', a  nor  moon' ;  there  were  no  plants', 
nor  animals',11  nor  people'. 

2,  But  God  spake,  and  by  his  wonderful3  power  created4 
all  things.  He  said,  Let  there  be  light ;  and  there  was  light. 
This  was  on  the  first  day  of  creation. 


PartI.  STORIES  FROM  THE  BIBLE.  17 

8.  On  the  second  day  God  made  the  air  which  we 
breathe.  On  the  third  day  he  made  the  seas  and  the  dry 
land;  and  he  made  the  earth  to  bring  forth  grass',  and 
herbs', a  and  trees  of  all  kinds. 

4.  On  the  fourth  day  he  made  the  sun',  and  the  moon', 
and  the  stars\  and  placed  them  in  the  heavens,  to  give 
light  upon  the  earth.  On  the  fifth  day  he  made  the  fishes 
that  swim  in  the  waters',  and  the  birds  that  fly  in  the  air. 

5.  On  the  sixth  day  God  made  all  kinds  of  beasts',  and 
insects',  and  creeping  things',3  and  man\  The  man's  name 
was  Adam.     And  God  gave  man  power  over  the  fishes 

—^  of  the  sea',  over  the  fowls  of 
the  air',  and  over  every  living 
thing  upon  the  earth\  He  also 
gave  to  man  reason',  and  power 
to  know  and  to  love  God'  and 
worship  him. 

6.  And  when  God  had  finish- 
ed5 the  work  of  creation,  he 
rested  on  the  seventh  day,  and 
blessed  it,  and  called  it  the  Sab- 
bath-day, which  means  the  holy 
day.  Therefore  he  says  to  us,  "Kemember6  the  Sabbath- 
day,  to  keep  it  holy." 

i  Be-gin'-ntng,  commencement.  |  *  €re-a'-tei>,  made. 

^  Ex-Tst'-ed,  lived.  5  Fin'-ished,  completed. 

3  W6n'-i>ek-ful,  surprising.  |  6  Re-mem'-ber,  observe;  do  not  forget. 

a  Rule  II.     Unemphatic  succession  of  particulars. 


k 


The  Creation. 


LESSON  III. 

THE  BEGINNING  OF  SIN. 


1.  God  created  Adam  holy  and  happy ;  and  he  pre- 
pared1 a  garden  for  him,  called  the  Garden  of  Eden,  and 
there  he  placed  Adam.  In  the  garden  were  beautiful 
trees,  and  flowers,  and  fruits  of  all  kinds. 

2.  And  God  looked  upon  Adam,  and  said,  "It  is  not  good 


18  WILLSON'S  THIRD   HEADER.  Part  I. 

that  the  man  should  be  alone :  I 
will  make  him  an  help  meet2  for 
him."  Then  he  created  a  wom- 
an, and  brought  her  to  Adam, 
and  she  was  his  wife.  Her  name 
was  Eve.  And  Adam  and  Eve 
were  holy  and  happy. 

3.  And  G-od  told  Adam  and 
Eve  that  they  might  eat  of  the 
fruit  of  all  the  trees  in  the  gar- 
Adam  and  Eve.  ^en  except  one,  and  that  tree  was 
called  "  the  tree  of  the  knowledge3  of  good  and  evil."    He 
told  them  that  they  must  not  eat  of  the  fruit  of  that  tree. 

4.  Then  Satan  came  in  the  form  of  a  serpent,  and  spoke 
to  Eve',  and  tempted4  her  with  lying  words' a  to  eat  of  the 
fruit  which  God  had  forbidden\  And  Eve  was  persuaded 
by  him' ;  and  she  took  of  the  forbidden  fruit',  and  did  eat' ; 
and  she  also  gave  to  Adam',  and  he  ate\  Thus  Adam 
and  Eve  committed  a  great  sin  in  disobeying  God. 

5.  When  God  saw  what  they  had  done,  he  was  very 
angry.  And  as  he  was  walking  in  the  ga'rden  in  the  cool 
of  the  day,  Adam  and  Eve  heard  his  voice,  and  they  were 
afraid,  and  they  hid  themselves,  for  they  knew  that  they 
had  sinned. 

6.  Then  God  called  to  Adam,  and  said,  "  Where  art 
thou'  ?"b  And  Adam  said,  "  I  heard  thy  voice  in  the  gar- 
den, and  I  was  afraid."  And  God  said  to  him,  "  Hast  thou 
eaten  of  the  forbidden  fruit' ?"c  Adam  did  not  humbly 
confess  his  sin  as  he  ought,  but  answered,  "  The  woman 
gave  it  to  me,  and  I  did  eat." 

7.  Then  God  said  to  Eve,  "What  is  this  that  thou  hast 
done'?"  But  Eve,  instead  of  confessing  that  she  had  done 
wrong,  wished,  like  Adam,  to  throw  the  blame  upon  an- 
other, and  so  she  answered,  "  The  serpent  tempted  me,  and 
I  did  eat." 

8.  Then  God,  after  he  had  cursed  the  serpent,  told  Adam 
and  Eve  that,  because  they  had  sinned,  they  should  no 


Part  I. 


STORIES  FROM   THE   BIBLE. 


19 


longer  remain  in  the  Garden  of  Eden,  but  that  they  must 
labor,  and  suffer  pain  and  sorrow  all  t^eir  days,  and  then , 
die  and  return  to  the  dust.  If  Adam  and  Eve  had  not 
sinned,  there  would  be  no  evil,  nor  pain,  nor  suffering  in 
the  world. 

"Adam  and  Eve  in  Eden  lived, 
A  garden  sweet  and  fair ; 
Their  Maker's  presence  they  enjoyed, 
And  every  good  was  there. 

"One  tree  that  in  the  garden  stood, 
God  hade6  them  not  to  take  ; 
But  yet  they  dared  to  eat  the  fruit, 
And  God's  commandment7  break. 


9. 


10. 


u 


12. 


'Then  did  the  Lord  his  angel  send, 

To  drive  them  from  the  place ; 
And  sinful  man  in  grief  did  spend, 
All  his  remaining  days. 

Then  let  me  never,  never  dare, 

To  disobey  the  Lord ; 
But  even  now  my  heart  prepare, 

To  learn  his  holy  word." 


Pke-par'ed,  provided. 
Meet,  suitable. 
Knowl'-edge,  information. 
Tempt'-ed,  enticed. 

a  Rule  VIII.,  Note. 


s  €on-fess'-ing,  owning ;  admitting. 

6  Bade  (bad),  commanded. 

7  €om-mand'-me>st,  command. 


b  Rule  TTT. 


ile  T. 


Abel  offering  sacrifice. 


LESSON  IY. 

CAIN  AND  ABEL. 

1.  Cain  and  Abel  were  sons 
of  Adam  and  Eve.  Cam,  the  eld- 
er, was  a  tiller1  of  the  ground\ 
but  Abel  was  a  keeper  of  sheep. 
Cain ^as  v^rwicked,  but  Abel 
loved  God^Ht  prayed  to  him. 

2.  In  those  early  days  of  the 
world,  God  required  all  to  wor- 
ship him,  not  only  by  prayer',, 
but  also  by  offering  to  him  sac- 


20  WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER.  Part  I. 

rifices.2  Abel  brought  a  lamb\  and,  with  sincere  prayer 
and  faith,  offered  it  in  sacrifice  to  (rod.  Cain  offered  a 
sacrifice  of  the  fruits  of  the  earth. 

3.  But  God  had  more  regard3  for  the  sacrifice  of  the 
good  man',  than  for  that  of  the  bad  man\  And  when  Cain 
saw  it,  he  was  filled  with  envy  and  hatred  of  his  brother. 
Then  God  said  to  Cain,  "Why  art  thou  angry  7  If  thou 
doest  well,  shalt  not  thou  also  be  accepted' ?"a 

4.  But  Cain  would  not  heed  what  God  said  to  him.  He 
talked  with  Abel  his  brother;  and  it  came  to  pass,  when 
they  were  in  the  field  together,  that  Cain  rose  up  against 
Abel,  and  struck  him,  and  killed  him.  He  thought  that 
no  one  saw  him.  But  God  saw  him ;  and  God  called  to 
Cain  and  said,  "  Where  is  Abel,  thy  brother^?"5  Then 
Cain  committed  another  sin,  and  told  a  lie,  for  he  said,  "I 
know  not.     Am  I  my  brother's  keeper' ?"a 

5.  Then  God  punished  Cain  by  driving  him  away  from 
his  home,  and  Cain  was  a  wanderer4  on  the  earth.  Adam 
and  Eve  mourned5  for  the  death  of  Abel,  and  they  were 
filled  with  great  grief  for  the  conduct  of  their  wicked  son 
Cain. 


1  TIh/er,  cultivator. 

2  Sa€'-ki-fT-ces  (mk'-re-fize-ez),  offerings 
to  God. 


3  Re-g'vrd',  respect  for. 
*  Wan  '-deb-er,  rover. 
5  MOurn'eb,  lamented. 


a  Rule  I.  b  Rule  III. 

LESSON  V. 

THE  FLOOD. 

1.  The  Bible  tells  us  that  in  the  early  ages  of  the  world 
men  lived  to  a  very  great  age.  Adam  himself  lived  nine 
hundred  .and  thirty  years;  and  Methusaleh,  who  was  the 
oldest  man,  lived^ine  Jrundred  and  sixty-nine  years. 
People  lived  so  hSPin  those  days  that  they  became  very 
numerous  on  the  earth.  But  nearly  all  of  them  were  very 
wicked  people,  so  that  God  was  angry  with  them ;  and  he 
said  he  would  send  a  great  flood  of  water  and  destroy 
them. 


Part  I.  STOEIES  FEOM  THE  BIBLE.  21 

2.  But  there  was  one  good  man, 
named  Noah;  and  God  prom- 
ised to  save  him.  He  therefore 
told  Noah  to  build  an  ark,  or 
vessel,  in  which  Noah  and  his 
wife,  and  his  sons  and  their 
wives,  might  be  saved  from  the 
flood  which  was  about  to  come 
upon  the  world. 

3.  So  Noah  built  an  ark,  as 
God   commanded   him.      Then 

God  caused  two  of  each  kind  of  all  living  creatures  that 
were  upon  the  earth — beasts',  birds',  and  creeping  things'51 
— to  go  into  the  ark\  that  some  of  each  kind  might  be  kept 
alive.  And  when  this  was  done,  Noah  and  his  wife',  and 
their  three  sons',  Shem',  Ham',  and  Japheth',  and  their 
wives — eight  persons  in  all'a — taking  with  them  plenty  of 
food',  went  into  the  ark\     And  God  shut>them  in. 

4.  The  wicked  people  had  laughed  at  Noah  while  he  was 
building  the  ark,  and  would  not  believe  him  when  he  told 
them  that  the  water  was  soon  coming  to  drown  them  all. 
But  God  sent  a  great  rain  from  heaven,  and  water  out  of 
the  sea ;  and  the  rain  lasted  forty  days  and  forty  nights ; 
and  the  tops  of  the  hills  were  covered  with  water ;  and 
all  the  wicked  people  were  destroyed.  But  the  ark  float- 
ed upon  the  waters,  like  a  ship;  and  Noah  and  those 
who  were  with  him  were  safe. 

5.  When  the  rain  was  over,  and  the  waters  had  begun  to 
flow  back  into  the  sea,  the  ark  rested  on  a  mountain,  called 
Ararat.1  Then  Noah,  after  waiting  some  days,  opened 
the  window  of  the  ark,  and  sent  forth  a  raven.  The  raven 
flew  about,  and  did  not  return  to  Noah.  Noah  also  sent 
forth  a  dove ;  but  as  the  dove  could  not  find  any  resting- 
place,  it  flew  back  again,  and  Noah  put  his  hand  out  of 
the  window,  and  took  it  into  the  ark. 

6.  After  waiting  seven  days  more,  Noah  again  sent  out 
the  dove ;  and  in  the  evening  it  returned,  and  brought  in 


22 


willson's  third  reader. 


Pakt  I. 


Kuah  oilers  Sacrifice 


its  beak  a  green  olive  leaf.  Then  Noah  knew  that  the 
tops  of  the  trees  were  above  the  waters,  and  that  they  were 
beginning  to  bud  and  grow  again.  Noah  waited  seven 
days  more,  and  then  sent  out  the  dove  a  third  time :  but 
the  dove  did  not  return  to  the  ark. 

7.  Soon  after',  Noah',  and  all 
that  were  with  him',  came  out 
of  the  ark',  and  found  the  earth 
dry*;  and  the  trees',  and  the 
plants',  and  the  grass',  growing 
again\  The  ark  had  rested  on 
Mount  Ararat.1  Then  Noah 
and  his  family  thanked  God  for 
saving  them  from  the  waters  of 
the  flood':  and  they  built  an 
altar  there',  and  offered  sacri- 
fices',2 and  praised  the  Lord\ 

8.  And  God  made  a  promise  to  Noah  that  he  would  never 
again  destroy  the  earth  by  a  flood :  and  he  told  Noah  that 

when  it  should  rain  upon  the 
earth',  and  the  clouds  should  be 
black  and  heavy',  and  the  rain- 
bow should  be  seen  in  the  cloud', 
it  should  be  a  sign  from  God 
that  he  would  not  again  drown 
the  world. 

9.  Thus  God  saved  Noah  and 
his  family,  while  he  destroyed 
the  wicked  people.  God  will 
safely  keep  all  who,  like  Noah, 
love  and  serve  him.  When  they  are  asleep,  in  the  dark 
night,  God  sees  them:  when  they  are  awake  he  is  with 
them,  and  knows  all  their  thoughts :  when  they  are  in 
storms  upon  the  great  sea,  he  can  keep  them  from  all 
harm.     Happy  are  they  who  put  their  trust  in  the  Lord. 

i  Ar'-a-bat,  is  a  mountain  of  Western  Asia,  I  =  SaV-bi-fT-ces  (mk'-re-fize-ez). 
in  Armenia.  I  a  Rule  TT. 


The  Bow  of  Promise. 


Faux  I. 


STORIES   FROM   THE   BIBLE. 


28 


1 


LESSON  VI. 

DESTRUCTION  OF  THE  WICKED  BY  THE  FLOOD. 

1.  The  wicked  shall  perish^ :  the  earth  where  they  trod 
Shall  be  laden1  no  more  with  the  scoffers2  of  Grodr : 
God  speaks  !a  and  his  banner  of  wrath  is  unfurled3 — 

•   For  the  deluge  of  waters  comes  down  on  the  world. 

2.  The  wicked',  now  fleeing',  no  refuge  can  f±ndN ; 
They  look  back  in  terror  !a  the  wave  is  behind^ ! 
While  onward  and  onward  in  anguish  they  flee,a 
Still  darkly  pursued  by  the  billowy4  sea. 

3.  They  trust  not  the  valleys — hope  perishes  therev ; 
But  they  rush  to  the  hills  with  the  strength  of  despair. 
The  palm-trees  are  bended  by  myriads5  of  forms, 

As  forests  are  bowed  by  the  spirit  of  storms. 

4.  There's  a  hush  of  the  weak,  and  a  cry  from  the  strong, 
As  the  deep  rolling  waves  sweep  the  wretched  along : 


24  WILLSON7S  THIED  HEADER.  Part  I. 

But  the  waters  soon  close  in  a  midnight  of  gloom, 
And  sullenly  roll  o'er  a  world-peopled  tomb. 

5.  Lo !  'tis  morn  on  the  wave*  :b  like  a  bird  on  its  breast' 
Floats  the  ark  of  the  godly — a  haven6  of  rest' ; 
And  a  sign  and  a  pledge  to  the  wand'rers  are  given, 
In  the  rainbow  that  arches  the  blue  vault  of  heaven. 


i  La'-den,  filled  ;  burdened. 

a  S€Off'-ebs,  mockers  ;  scorners. 

3  Un-fuei/ed,  unfolded. 

a  Rule  XII.    Monotone. 


4  BTl'-i.ow-y,  full  of  waves,  or  billows. 

5  Mye'-i-ad»,  multitudes. 

6  111'- yen,  harbor,  place  of  safety. 

b  Rule  IV. 


LESSON  VII. 

THE  ARK  AND  DOVE. 

1.  There  was  a  noble  ark, 
Sailing  o'er  waters  dark, 

And  wide  around' ; 
Not  one  tall  tree  was  seen', 
Nor  flower',  nor  leaf  of  green*; 

AH' — all  was  drowned*. 

2.  Then  a  soft  wing  was  spread, 
And  o'er  the  billows  dread 

A  meek  dove  flew* ; 
But  on  that  shoreless  tide, 
No  living  thing  she  spied 

To  cheer  her  view. 

3.  So  to  the  ark  she  fled, 
With  weary,  drooping  head, 


Part  I.  STORIES  FROM  THE   BIBLE.  25 

To  seek  for  rest ; 


Christ  is  thy  ark*,  my  love', 
Thou  art  the  tender  dove* ; 
Fly  to  his'  breast\ 


Mks.  Sigoukney. 


LESSON  VIII. 

THE  RETURN  OF  THE  DOVE. 

There  was  hope  in  the  ark  at  the  dawning  of  day, 
When  o'er  the  wide  waters  the  dove  flew  away ; 
But  when',  ere  the  night',  she  came  wearily  back 
With  the  leaf  she  had  plucked  on  her  desolate  track', 
The  children  of  Noah  knelt  down  and  adored*, 
And  uttered  in  anthems  their  praise  to  the  Lord. 
0,  bird  of  glad  tidings* !  O,  joy  in  our  pain* ! 
Beautiful  dove' !  thou  art  welcome  again. 

When  peace  has  departed  the  care-stricken  breast. 

And  the  feet  of  the  weary  one  languish  for  rest' ; 

When  the  world  is  a  wide-spreading  ocean  of  grief, 

How  blest  the  return  of  the  bird  and  the  leaf* ! 

Reliance  on  God  is  the  dove  to  our  ark, 

And  peace  is  the  olive  she  plucks  in  the  dark. 

The  deluge  abates,  there  is  sun  after  rain — 

Beautiful  dove' !  thou  art  welcome  again. 

Mackay. 


LESSON  IX. 

ABRAHAM  AND  LOT :   THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  SODOM  AND 
GOMORRAH. 

1.  A  long  time  after  the  flood,  there  was  a  good  man 
named  Abram,  who  dwelt  at  Hebron,  where  he  built  an 
altar  to  the  Lord.  The  name  of  his  wife  was  Sarai.  His 
nephew,  Lot,  and  his  family,  dwelt  in  the  beautiful  plain 
of  Jordan,  near  the  city  of  Sodom. 

B 


26  WILLSON'S  THIRD   HEADER.  Pakt  I. 

2.  While  Abram  dwelt  at  Hebron,  the  Lord  appear- 
ed unto  'him,  and  Abram  fell 
on  his  face ;  and  the  Lord  told 
him  that  he  should  be  the  fa- 
ther of  a  great  people.  Then 
God  changed  Abram's  name, 
and  called  him  Abraham,  which 
means  the  father  of  a  multitude ; 
and  he  changed  Sarai's  name  to 
Sarah,  which  means  a  princess. 
3.  Again  the  Lord  appeared 
God  appears  to  Abraham.         untQ   Abraham,  and   told   him 

that  the  people  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,1  the  cities  of 
the  plain,  were  so  wicked  that  he  was  going  to  destroy 
them.  Then  Abraham  thought  of  his  nephew  Lot,  who 
was  a  good  man,  and  who  lived  in  Sodom ;  and  he  prayed 
to  the  Lord,  and  asked  him  to  spare  the  city  if  fifty  right- 
eous2 people  were  there. 

4.  And  the  Lord  said  to  Abraham,  "HI  find  in  Sodom 
fifty  righteous  persons,  then  I  will  spare  all  the  place  for 
their  sakes."  Then  Abraham  took  courage  to  speak  to 
the  Lord  again  and  again  five  times ;  and  finally  the  Lord 
said  to  him,  "HI  find  in  Sodom  ten  righteous  persons,  I 
will  not  destroy  it." 

5.  But  there  were  not  ten  righteous  persons  in  all  Sod- 
om, and  therefore  it  could  not  be  saved.  But  the  Lord 
sent  his  angels  to  tell  Lot  to  escape.  And  the  angels  led 
Lot  and  his  wife,  and  their  two  daughters,  out  of  the  city, 
and  told  them  to  escape  in  great  haste,  and  not  look  be- 
hind them.  But  Lot's  wife  disobeyed,  and  looked  back ; 
and  God  caused  her  to  be  changed  into  a  pillar  of  salt. 

6.  And  when  Lot  had  escaped  from  the  city,  the  Lord 
rained  upon  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  brimstone3  and  fire 
from  heaven,  and  destroyed  the  cities  of  the  plain,  and  all 
the  wicked  people  who  dwelt  in  them. 

1  (Jo-mor'-rah;  the  Dead  Sea  is  believed  to  I  2  RTgut'-eocs  (rt-chux),  good;  holy 
cover  the  places  where  Sodom  and  Go-  I  3  HrIm'-btOne,  sulphur, 
mnrrah  ft 


Part  I. 


STORIES  FROM  THE   BIBLE. 


27 


LESSON  X. 

ABRAHAM  OFFERING  ISAAC. 

1.  While  Abraham  had  no  children,  God  had  said  to 
him  that  he  would  make  him  the  father  of  a  great  nation. 
Already  had  Abraham  and  Sarah  become  old,  when  Isaac 
was  born  to  them.  On  Isaac  all  their  hopes  were  placed 
for  the  fulfillment1  of  the  promise  of  the  Lord. 

2.  When  Isaac  had  grown  to  be  almost  a  man,  God,  to 
try  the  faith  of  Abraham,  said  to  him,  "Take  now  thy  son\ 
thine  only  son  Isaacx,a  and  offer  him  for  a  burnt-offering 
upon  a  mountain  which  I  will  show2  thee."  Abraham 
prepared  to  obey  the  Lord ;  for  he  knew  that  God's  com- 
mand must  be  right,  and  he  believed  that  if  he  should  kill 
his  son,  God  had  power  to  restore  him  to  life  again. 


28 


WILLSON'S  THIliD  READER. 


Past  I. 


Abraham  and  Isaac. 


3.  So  Abraham  rose  up  early  in  the  morning,  and  took 
two  servants  with  him,  and  his  son  Isaac,  and  they  trav- 
eled three  days,  and  then  came  to  Mount  Moriah.3  Abra- 
ham told  the  servants  that  th£y  might  stop  there,  while  he 
and  Isaac  went  up  into  the  mountain  to  worship. 

4.  Then  Abraham  took  wood 
for  the  burnt-offering,  and  gave 
it  to  Isaac  to  carry ;  and  he  took 
fire,  and  a  knife,  and  they  went 
up  into  the  mountain  together. 
As  they  walked  along,  Isaac 
said,  "My  father',  behold  the 
fire  and  the  wood',b  but  where 
is  the  lamb  for  a  burnt -offer- 
ing?" 

5.  Isaac  did  not  know  that  he 
was  to  be  the  lamb.     Abraham  said,  "  God  will  provide4 
a  lamb,  my  son'."    Then  Abraham  built  an  altar,  and  put 
wood  upon  it,  and  bound  Isaac,  and  laid  him  upon  the  al- 
tar, and  took  the  knife  to  slay 
his  son,  'as  God  had  commanded 
him. 

6.  But  as  Abraham  raised  the 
knife  to  strike,  the  angel  of  the 
Lord  called  to  him  out  of  heav- 
en, and  said,  "  Lay  not  thy  hand 
upon  the  lad^  ;c  for  now  I  know 
that  thou  fearest  God,  because 
thou  hast  not  kept  back  thy 
son,  thine  only  son,  from  him." 

7.  Then  Abraham  looked,  and  saw  a  ram  caught  in  a 
bush  by  the  horns ;  and  he  went  and  took  the  ram,  and  of- 
fered it,  instead  of  Isaac,  for  a  burnt-offering  to  the  Lord. 
And  the  angel  called  again  to  Abraham  and  told  him  that 
in  him  should  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed. 
We  should  never  tfoubt  God's  goodness,  but  always,  like 
Abraham,  have  faith5  in  him. 


*w 


The  Offering. 


Part  I.  STORIES  FROM  THE  BIBLE.  29 

i  Ful-fYliZ-ment,  completion.  I  3  Mo-ri'-ah. 

e  ShOw  (shf>),  often  written  sheiv,  but  pro-  |  4  Pro-vide',  procure. 

nounced  slid.  [  5  Faith,  confidence. 

a  Rule  VIIL,  Note.        b  Rule  XI.,  contrast;  or,  Rule  VI.,  comparison  and  contrast 

c  Rule  X.,  command. 


LESSON  XI. 

ISAAC  AND  REBECCA. 

1.  Isaac  had  now  grown  to  be  a  man,  and  Abraham  did 
not  wish  him  to  marry  one  of  the  women  of  Canaan,  be- 
cause they  were  idolaters.  So  he  said  to  his  good  and 
faithful  servant  Eliezer,1  "  Go  now  unto  my  own  country, 
and  to  my  kindred,  and  take  a  wife  unto  my  son  Isaac." 

2.  Then  Eliezer  took  ten  of  his  master's  camels,  and  start- 
ed on  his  journey.  And  when  he  came  to  the  country  be- 
tween the  rivers,  it  was  evening;  and  he  was  tired,  and 
sat  down  by  a  well.  He  did  not  know  the  people  who 
lived  there,  nor  did  he  know  whom  to  choose  for  a  wife 
for  Isaac;  but  he  prayed  God  to  direct  him;  and  God 
heard  his  prayer. 

.  3.  He  had  scarcely  done  praying  to  the  Lord  when  he 
saw  a  young  woman  coming  to  the  well.  She  carried  a 
pitcher  on  her  shoulder,  and  she  went  and  filled  her  pitcher 
with  water  out  of  t\e  well.  The  servant  asked  her  to  give 
him  some  water,  and  she  was  very  kind,  and  gave  him 
the  pitcher ;  and  then  she  drew  water  for  the  camels. 
4.  Eliezer  had  asked  God  to  show  him,  by  this  sign,  the 


30 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  I 


wife  whom  he  was  to  take  for 
Isaac ;  and  now  he  was  sure  that 
this  was  the  right  person.  So 
he  took  two  bracelets,2  and  put 
them  upon  her  hand,  and  gave 
her  a  gold  earring,  arid  asked, 
"Whose  daughter  art  thour?" 
She  told  him  her  name  was  Ee- 
becca,  and  that  her  father  was 
Bethuel,3  a  kinsman4  of  Abra- 
ham. 

5.  Then  Eliezer  went  to  the  house  of  Bethuel,  and  staid 
with  him  and  his  family.  And  he  asked  if  Eebecca  might 
go  to  Hebron,  and  marry  Isaac.  And  they  were  willing 
that  she  should  go,  for  they  believed  it  was  God's  will. 
So  Kebecca  left  her  father,  and  mother,  and  brothers,  and 
sisters;  and  taking  her  nurse,  and  her  maids,  she  went 
with  Eliezer  to  Hebron.  And  Isaac  loved  Kebecca,  and 
she  became  his  wife ;  and  God  blessed  them. 


Kebecca. 


1  E-li-e'-zer. 

2  P'Race'-lets,  ornaments  for  the  wrist 


3  Be-thtt'el. 

*  Kins'-man,  relative. 


LESSON  XII. 

JACOB   AND   ESAU. 

1.  God  gave  two  sons  to  Isaacs 
and  Rebecca.  Their  names  were 
Esau  and  Jacob.  Esau  was  the 
elder.  When  they  grew  up, 
Esau  was  a  roving  man,  and  fond 
of  hunting;  but  Jacob  was  a 
plain  and  quiet  man,  and  dwelt 
in  a  tent. 

2.  One  day  when  Esau  had 
been  hunting,  he  came  home 
very  tired,  and  hungry.     Jacob 

was  eating  pottage  in  the  tent;  and  his  brother  said  to 


Esau  the  Hunter. 


Fart  I.  STORIES  FROM  THE   BIBLE.  31 

him,  "Give  me  pottage' :la  for  I  am  faint'."  Jacob  said, 
"  Sell  me  thy  birth-right',2  and  I  will  give  thee  pottage\"b 
And  Esau  said,  "  Behold,  I  am  about  to  die' ;  and  what 
profit  will  my  birth-right  be  to  me'  ?"c  So  he  sold  him 
his  birth-right;  and  Jacob  gave  him  food  to  eat,  and  he 
went  away. 

3.  When  Isaac  had  become  old,  and  his  eyes  were  so 
dim  that  he  could  not  see,  he  called  Esau,  and  said  to  him, 
"Take  now  thy  bow  and  arrows,  and  go  out  to  the  field, 
and  get  some  venison,3  and  make  savory4  meat  such  as  I 
love,  and  bring  it  to  me,  that  I  may  eat,  and  bless  thee 
before  I  die." 

4.  So  Esau  took  his  bow  and  arrows,  and  went  into  the 
field  to  hunt  for  venison.  When  Rebecca  heard  Isaac 
speak  to  Esau,  she  was  not  pleased,  because  she  wished 
Isaac  to  bless  Jacob ;  for  Grod  had  said  Jacob  should  be 
greater  than  Esau. 

5.  So  she  called  Jacob,  and  said,  "  Esau  is  now  gone  to 
hunt  for  venison,  that  his  father  may  eat,  and  bless  him. 
Now  obey'  me,  and  go',  and  kill  two  kids\a  and  I  will 
make  savory  meat',  and  thou  shalt  bring  it  to  thy  father, 
that  he  may  eat  and  bless  thee." 

6.  But  Jacob  said,  "  I  know  my  father  can  not  see',  but 
he  can  feel'.b  Esau  is  a  hairy  man',  and  I  am  a  smooth 
man'  ;b  and  if  my  father  feel  me',  he  will  know  I  am  Jacob', 
and  not  Esau',  and  I  shall  seem  to  him  a  deceiver',  and 
bring  a  curse'  upon  me,  and  not  a  blessing'."d 

7.  But  Rebecca  told  him  to  go,  and  bring  the  kids  quick- 
ly ;  and  he  obeyed,  and  went,  and  brought  the  kids.  Then 
Rebecca  took  the  kids,  and  made  savory  meat;  and  she 
took  Esau's  clothes,  and  put  them  upon  Jacob.  She  also 
put  the  hairy  skins  of  the  kids  upon  his  neck  and  hands, 
that  he  might  feel  rough  like  Esau ;  and  then  she  sent  him 
with  the  meat  to  his  father. 

8.  And  when  Jacob  went  in,  Isaac  heard  him,  and  asked 
how  he  found  the  meat  so  quickly.  Then  Jacob  spoke 
falsely,  and  said,  "  Because  the  Lord  brought  it  to  me." 


32 


WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER. 


Part  I. 


Then  Isaac  put  his  hands  on  Jacob,  and  said,  "  The  voice 
is  like  Jacob's  voice' ;  but  the  hands  are  the  hands  of 
Esau'."b 

9.  Isaac  believed  it  was 
Esau;  and  he  ate  the  meat, 
and  drank  the  wine,  which  Ja- 
cob gave  him.  Then  he  kissed 
Jacob,  and  said,  "The  Lord 
bless  thee,  and  give  thee  plen- 
ty of  corn  and  wine.  People 
and  nations  shall  serve  thee, 
and  thy  mother's  sons  shall 
bow  down  to  thee." 

10.  When  Isaac  had  finish- 
ed blessing  Jacob,  Jacob  went 

out ;  and  soon  after  Esau  came  in,  bringing  savory  meat 
for  his  lather.  When  Esau  asked  his  father  to  bless  him, 
Isaac  was  greatly  surprised,  and  troubled ;  but  he  could 
not  recall5  the  blessing  which  he  had  given  to  Jacob. 

11.  Then  Esau  wept,  and  was  very  angry ;  and  he  said 
in  his  heart,  "  Soon  my  father  will  die,  and  then  I  will  kill 
Jacob."  But  the  evil  words  of  Esau  were  told  to  Kebec- 
ca,  and  she  and  Isaac  sent  Jacob  away  to  live  in  the  coun- 
try from  which  his  mother  came.  Isaac  and  Eebecca  nev- 
er saw  their  son  Jacob  again. 


Isaac  blessing  Jacob. 


PCt'-tage,  broth ;  soup. 
BiBTii'-RtGnT,  any  right  to  which  a  per- 
son is  entitled  by  birth. 
Vkn'-i-son    {ven'-e-zn  or   ven'-zn),   the 
a  Rule  X.     Earnest  entreaty.  b  Rule  VI. 

c  Rule  X.     Lamentation ;  and  also  Rule  III. 


flesh  of  wild  animals.     In  the  United 
States  it  means  the  flesh  of  deer. 
Sa'-vok-y,  pleasant  to  the  taste. 
Kf,-<!alt/,  take  back;  change. 

"Comparison  and  contrast." 
d  Rule  Yin.,  note. 


LESSON  XIII. 

JACOB'S    HISTORY. 
1.  So  Jacob  started  to  go  down  into  the  country  between 
the  rivers  Tigris  and  Euphrates.    And  when  it  came  night 
lie  lay  down  on  the  cold  ground,  and  put  a  stone  under 
hip  head  for  a  pillow,  and  soon  fell  asleep. 


Part  I. 


STORIES   FROM   THE   BIBLE. 


33 


God  appears  to  Jacob. 


2.  Then  Jacob  dreamed  a 
dream.  He  thought  he  saw  a  lad- 
der set  on  the  earth,  with  its  top 
reaching  up  to  heaven,  and  holy 
angels  going  up  and  down  upon 
it.  Above  it  stood  the  Lord;  and 
he  spoke  to  Jacob  and  said,  "I 
am  the  God  of  Abraham,  and  the 
God  of  Isaac.  I  will  give  all  the 
land  around  thee  unto  thy  chil- 
dren, and  they  shall  possess  it." 
3.  When  Jacob  awoke  he  said,  "  Surely  the  Lord  is  in 

this  place\  and  I  knew  it  not\     This  is  the  house  of  God\ 

and  the  gate  of  heaven\"a     Then  he  took  the  stone  and 

set  it  up  for  a  pillar,  and  poured  oil  upon  it,  and  called  the 

place  Bethel. 

4.  And  Jacob  went  to  live 
with  his  uncle,  Laban,  his  moth- 
er's brother.  And  he  became  a 
shepherd,  and  kept  the  sheep 
of  Laban.  He  married  Laban's 
two  daughters,  Leah  and  Ea- 
chel.  And  God  blessed  Ja- 
cob, and  gave  him  many  chil- 
dren, and  great  possessions  of 
sheep',  and  oxen',  and  goats/  and 
camels\b 
5.  After  Jacob  had  lived  many 

years  with  Laban,  he  took  all  he 

had,  and  went  down  into  the 

land  of  Canaan  to  live  there. 

"While  he  was  on  the  journey 

God  appeared  to  him  again,  and 

blessed  him,  and  gave  him  the 

new  name  of  Israel,  which  means 

a  prince.     Jacob  and  Esau  met 

again,  and  became  friends. 

B2 


Jacob  becomes*  a  Shepherd. 


Meetiug  of  Jacob  and  Esau. 


34  WILLSON'S   THIRD   READER.  Part  I. 

6.  By  this  time  Jacob's  mother,  Eebecca,  was  dead,  but 
his  father,  Isaac,  was  yet  alive — a  very  old  man.  When 
Isaac  died  he  was  a  hundred  and  eighty  years  old.  We 
must  next  give  some  account  of  the  sons  of  Jacob. 

a  Rule  VIII.     Note :  2d.  b  Eule  VIIT.     Note :  1st 


LESSON  XIY. 

JOSEPH  AND  HIS  BRETHREN. 

1.  Jacob  had  twelve  sons,  six 
of  whom  were  the  children  of  his 
wife  Leah,  and  two  of  them,  Jo- 
seph and  Benjamin,  the  children 
of  his  beloved  Bachel :  but  his 
favorite  among  them  all  was  Jo- 
seph ;  and,  as  a  mark  of  his  af- 
fection1 for  him,  he  made  him  a 
coat  of  many  colors.  When  the 
ten  saw  that  their  father  loved 
Jacob  aud  Joseph.  Joseph  so  much,  they  hated  their 

younger  brother,  and  were  very  unkind  to  him. 

2.  One  night  Joseph  had  a  wonderful  dream.  He 
thought  he  was  binding  sheaves  of  corn2  in  the  field  with 
his  brothers;  and  his  brothers'  sheaves  arose,  and  stood 
up,  and  bowed  before  Joseph's  sheaf.  Grod  made  known 
to  Joseph,  by  this  dream,  that  his  brothers  should  obey 
him,  and  that  he  should  rule  over  them:  but  they  were 
very  angry  with  him  when  he  told  them  his  dream. 

3.  Soon  after  he  dreamed  again ;  and,  behold,  the  sun, 
and  the  moon,  and  the  eleven  stars  bowed  down  before 
him.  Joseph  told  this  dream  also  to  his  father  and  his 
brothers.  Jacob  understood3  the  meaning  of  the  dream, 
and  thought  much  about  it ;  but  his  elder  brothers  only 
envied  him,  and  hated  him  still  more. 

4.  Jacob's  sons  were  shepherds,  and  took  care  of  their 
father's  flocks ;  and  the  ten  elder  went  to  feed  them  in  a 
distant  part  of  the  country ;  but  Joseph  and  little  Benja- 


Fart  I.  STORIES  FROM  THE   BIBLE.  35 

min  were  with  their  father.  One  day  Jacob  called  Joseph, 
and  said,  "  Go  now  and  see  if  thy  brethren  are  welP,  and 
if  the  flocks  are  weir,  and  bring  me  word  again\"a 

5.  So  Joseph  went :  but  when  his  brothers  saw  him  afar 
off,  they  said  one  to  another',5  "  Behold', b  this  dreamer 
cometh.  Come  now,  therefore,  and  let  us  slay1-  him,  and 
cast  him  into  some  pitr ;  and  we  will  say  some  evil  beast 
has  devoured4  himN ;  and  we  shall  see  what  will  become 
of  his  dreams."  But  Eeuben,  who  wished  to  save  him, 
said,  "  Let  us  not  kill  him,  but  cast  him  into  this  pit."  So, 
when  Joseph  came  to  them,  they  seized  him',  and  tore  off 
his  coat  of  many  colors',  and  threw  him  into  the  pitN ;  and 
then  they  sat  down,  and  ate  bread. 

6.  While  they  were  eating,  a  company  of  merchants, 
who  were  going  down  to  Egypt,  came  that  way ;  and  the 
cruel  brothers  drew  Joseph  up  out  of  the  pit,  and  sold  him 
to  the  merchants  for  twenty  pieces  of  silver.  The  mer- 
chants carried  him  with  them,  and  sold  him  to  Potiphar, 
an  officer  of  the  King  of  Egypt.  Eeuben  was  absent  when 
they  sold  Joseph ;  and  when  he  came  back  to  the  pit,  and 
could  not  find  Joseph  there,  he  rent  his  clothes,  and  ran  to 
his  brothers  and  said,  "  The  child  is  not^ ;  and  I,  whither 
shallIgor?"c 

7.  And  they  killed  a  kid,  and  dipped  Joseph's  coat  in 
the  blood,  and  took  it  to  their  father,  and  said,  "  This  have 
we  found :  know  now  whether  it  be  thy  son's  coat  or  not." 
And  Jacob  said,*  "It  is  my  son's  coat:  an  evil  beast  hath 
devoured  him :  Joseph  is,  without  doubt,  rent  in  pieces." 
And  then  Jacob  wept,  and  rent  his  clothes,  and  mourned 
for  Joseph.  And  all  his  sons  and  all  his  daughters  came 
to  comfort  him ;  but  he  refused  to  be  comforted ;  and  he 
said,  "  I  will  go  down  into  the  grave,  unto  my  son,  mourn - 


1  Af-P2€'-tion,  love.  I  3  Un-der -stoop',  knew ;  perceived. 

2  €6rn,  any  kind  of  grain.  |  *  De-voub'ep,  eaten. 

a  Rule  X.     Command.  b  Rule  IT.  c  Rule  X.     Lamentation. 


36  WILLSON's  THIRD  READER.  Part  I. 


LESSON  XV. 

JOSEPH  A  PRISONER  IN  EGYPT. 

1.  Before  Joseph  had  been  long  in  the  house  of  Poti- 
phar,  he  was  falsely  accused  by  Potiphar's  wife,  and  thrown 
into  prison.  There  his  good  conduct  obtained  for  him  the 
favor  of  the  keeper  of  the  prison,  who  committed1  all  the 
other  prisoners  to  his  care. 

2.  Soon  after  this  the  chief  butler2  and  the  chief  baker 
of  Pharaoh,3  the  king,  were  also  put  in  prison.  One  morn- 
ing, when  Joseph  went  in  to  see  them,  he  found  them  look- 
ing sad  and  unhappy,  and  he  asked,  "  Why  look  ye  so 
sadly  to-dayx?"  They  said,  "We  have  dreamed  dreams\ 
and  there  is  no  one  to  interpret4  them  for  us."  And 
Joseph  said  unto  them,  "  Do  not  interpretations5  belong  to 
God'?     Tell  me  your  dreams,  I  pray  you." 

3.  Then  the  butler  told  his 
dream,  and  said,  "I  saw  in  my 
dream  a  vine,  and  in  the  vine 
three  branches,  and  they  bud- 
ded', and  the  flowers  came',a  and 
the  fruit  ripened^;  and  I  took 
Pharaoh's  cup,  and  gathered  the 
grapes,  and  pressed  them  into 
the  cup ;  and  I  gave  the  cup  into 
Pharaoh's  hand." 

Joseph  in  prison.  ^  And  then  Joseph  gaid?  urffa 

three  branches  are  three  days.  In  three  days  Pharaoh 
will  restore  thee  to  thy  place,  and  thou  shalt  give  the  cup 
into  his  hand."  Joseph  also  added,  "  Do  not  forget  me 
when  it  shall  be  well  with  thee,  but  speak  for  me  to  Pha- 
raoh, and  bring  me  out  of  prison ;  for  I  was  stolen  away 
from  Canaan,  and  brought  to  Egypt,  and  T  have  done  noth- 
ing that  they  should  put  me  into  this  dungeon." 

5.  Then  the  baker  told  his  dream,  and  said,  "  I  had  three 


Part  I.  STORIES   FROM  THE   BIBLE.  37 

baskets  upon  my  head ;  they  were  full  of  baked  meats  for 
Pharaoh,  and  the  birds  came  and  ate  the  meat  out  of  the 
baskets  on  my  head."  Joseph  answered,  "  The  three 
baskets  are  three  days ;  yet  within  three  daj^s  shall  Pha- 
raoh lift  up  thy  head  from  off  thee,  and  shall  hang  thee 
on  a  tree,  and  the  birds  shall  eat  thy  flesh  from  off  thee." 

6.  All  happened  as  Joseph  had  said,  for  God  had  given 
him  wisdom  to  interpret  rightly.  In  three  days  was  Pha- 
raoh's birthday ;  and  he  made  a  feast  for  all  his  servants, 
and  called  the  butler  and  the  baker  out  of  prison.  He  for- 
gave the  butler,  and  restored  him  to  his  place,  and  the  but- 
ler gave  the  cup  into  Pharaoh's  hand ;  but  the  baker  was 
hanged,  as  Joseph  had  said.  Yet  the  butler  forgot  his 
promises  to  Joseph. 

7.  Two  years  after  the  butler  had  been  taken  out  of 
prison,  Pharaoh  himself  had  two  wonderful  dreams.  He 
thought  he  stood  by  the  river,  and  saw  seven  fat  kine6 
come  up  out  of  it,  and  feed  in  a  meadow.  Soon  after  he  saw 
seven  other  kine  come  up,  very  thin  and  poor,  and  they 
ate  up  the  seven  fat  kine;  and  still  they  were  lean,  the 
same  as  before.  Then  he  slept  and  dreamed  again,  and 
he  saw  seven  fine  good  ears  of  corn  come  up  upon  one 
stem,  and  soon  after  seven  ears  more,  very  thin  and  blasted7 
by  the  east  wind,  and  the  seven  bad  ears  devoured  the 
seven  good  ears.  Then  Pharaoh  awoke',  and,  behold', b  it 
was  a  dream\ 

8.  In  the  morning  Pharaoh  was  much  troubled  about 
his  dreams;  and  he  sent  for  all  the  wise  men  of  Egypt,  who 
pretended  that  they  could  explain  hidden  things,  and  he 
told  them  his  dreams ;  but  there  was  no  one  that  under- 
stood their  meaning.  Then  the  chief  butler  remembered 
Joseph,  and  he  told  the  king  about  him,  and  the  king  sent 
hastily  and  brought  him  out  of  prison,  and  told  him  his 
dreams,  and  asked  him  if  he  could  interpret  them.  But 
Joseph,  knowing  that  he  had  no  wisdom  in  himself,  and 
that  all  he  had  God  gave  him,  said  to  Pharaoh,  "It  is  not 
in  me:  God  shall  give  Pharaoh  an  answer  of  peace." 


38 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  I. 


Joseph  before  Pharaoh. 


9.  Then  Joseph  explained  to 
Pharaoh  as  the  spirit  of  God 
taught  him,  and  said,  "  The  seven 
fat  kine,  and  the  seven  good  ears 
of  corn,  are  seven  years  of  great 
plenty ;  and  the  seven  lean  kine, 
and  the  seven  thin  and  blasted 
ears,  are  seven  years  of  famine 
that  shall  come  upon  the  land. 
And  the  famine  shall  be  so  griev- 
ous8 that  the  years  of  plenty 
shall  be  forgotten,  and  the  famine  shall  consume9  the  land." 

10.  Then  Joseph,  after  he  had  told  Pharaoh  the  mean- 
ing of  the  dreams,  also  said  to  him,  "  This  thing  God  hath 
done,  and  he  will  shortly  bring  it  to  pass.  Now,  there- 
fore, let  Pharaoh  look  for  a  wise  man,  and  set  him  over  the 
land;  and  let  him  gather  up  the  corn  in  the  seven  years 
of  plenty,  and  keep  it  laid  up  in  all  the  cities  of  Egypt, 
that  when  the  seven  years  of  famine  come  there  may  be 
food  to  eat." 

11.  All  that  Joseph  said  pleased  Pharaoh.  And  Pha- 
raoh said  to  his  servants,  "  Can  we  find  another  man  like 
this' — a  man  in  whom  is  the  Spirit  of  God'?"  And  he 
also  said  unto  Joseph,  "  Because  God  hath  made  known 
to  thee  all  these  things,  there  is  no  one  so  wise  as  thou 
art.  Thou  shalt  be  over  my  house^ ;  and  my  people  shall 
be  ruled  by  theer ;  only  in  the  throne  will  I  be  greater 
than  thou.  See,  therefore,  I  have  set  thee  over  all  the  land 
of  Egypt." 


1  r<iM-MiT'-TKn,  pave;  intrusted. 

*  Bi  r  -i.r;  .  .in  officer  who  took  charge  of 
the  wine,  etc. 

:i  l'liv'-iiA-oii  (/,7'-ro). 

*  In-tkk'-i-kkt,  explain. 

■  Ride  VIII.,  Note. 


5  In-ter-pret-I'-tions,  explanations. 

•  KTnk,  cows. 

1  Blast'-ep,  blighted  ;  withered. 

B  GriBv'-OCB,  severe. 

9  €oN-sf  me',  lay  waste ;  ruin. 

b  Rule  II. 


Part  I. 


STORIES   FROM   THE   BIBLE. 


39 


i 


LESSON  XVI. 

JOSEPH  GOVERNOR  OF  EGYPT 
1.  Pharaoh  did  as  he  had  promised ;  and  he  made  Jo- 
seph governor  over  all  the  land  of  Egypt ;  and  he  put  his 
own  ring  npon  Joseph's  hand',  and  a  gold  chain  about 
his  neck',  and  clothed  him  with  fine  linen',  and  made  him 

ride  in  a  chariot', a  and  command- 
ed that  all  the  people  should 
bow  the  knee  before  him',  and 
obeyN  him. 

2.  During  the  seven  years  of 
plenty  Joseph  collected  the  corn 
throughout  all  the  land,  and  laid 
it  up  in  barns  and  storehouses ; 
and  the  quantity  was  so  great 
that  they  left  off  numbering1  it. 
But  the  seven  good  years  ended, 


Joseph  governor  of  Egypt. 


40  WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Part  I. 

and  then  the  seven  years  of  famine  began.  The  famine 
was  in  all  the  countries  round  about ;  only  in  Egypt  there 
was  bread;  and  from  other  countries  people  came  into 
Egypt  to  buy  corn  of  Joseph. 

3.  The  famine  was  in  the  land  of  Canaan  also,  and  poor 
old  Jacob  and  his  sons  had  no  bread.  So  when  Jacob 
heard  that  there  was  corn  in  Egypt,  he  sent  his  ten  elder 
sons  to  buy  some;  but  Benjamin  staid  with  his  father,  for 
Jacob  loved  him  so  much  that  he  did  not  like  to  have  him 
go  away. 

4.  The  ten  brothers  went  to  Egypt,  and  came  and  stood 
before  Joseph,  and  bowed  to  the  ground.  They  did  not 
know  him,  for  he  was  only  a  boy  when  they  sold  him  to 
the  merchants,  and  now  he  was  a  man  thirty -seven  years 
old ;  but  Joseph  knew  his  brothers ;  and  he  remembered, 
also,  his  dream  of  the  sheaves  of  his  brothers  bowing  down 
to  him.     And  now  that  dream  was  explained ! 

5.  Joseph  did  not  make  himself  known  to  his  brethren, 
but  he  spoke  roughly  to  them,  and  said,  "Who  are  youv? 
Whence  do  you  comer?"b  They  said,  "We  come  from 
Canaan  to  buy  corn."  And  Joseph  spoke  harshly,  and 
said,  "  Ye  are  spiesx:  to  see  the  poverty  of  the  land  are  ye 
come."  And  they  said  unto  him,  "  Nay\  my  lord',  but  to 
buy  food  are  thy  servants  come." 

6.  And  he  questioned2  them  still  more,  and  they  said, 
"Thy  servants  arc  twelve  brethren,  the  sons  of  one  man 
in  the  land  of  Canaan ;  and  the  youngest  is  this  day  with 
our  father,  but  one  is  not."3  But  Joseph,  still  pretending4 
to  doubt  their  word,  and  to  believe  them  to  be  spies,  said, 
"  If  ye  be  true  men  let  one  of  you  stay  here  a  prisoner, 
and  the  others  shall  go  and  take  corn  for  your  families, 
and  bring  your  youngest  brother  to  me  when  ye  come 
again,  and  then  I  shall  know  that  your  words  are  true." 

7.  The  brothers  were  much  distressed5  to  hear  this,  and 
Joseph  too  was  distressed  to  see  their  sorrow,  and  he  turn- 
ed away  and  wept.  They  thought  of  their  cruel  treatment 
of  their  brother  Joseph,  and  they  said  one  to  another,  "  We 


Part  I. 


STORIES  FROM  THE  BIBLE. 


41 


are  verily  guilty  concerning  our  brother,  because  we  saw 
the  anguish6  of  his  soul  when  he  besought  us,  and  we 
would  not  hear;  therefore  is  this  distress  come  upon  us." 
8.  As  they  talked  with  one  another  Joseph  understood 
all  they  said,  but  they  knew  it  not,  for  he  spoke  to  them 
by  an  interpreter.  And  Joseph  took  Simeon  from  them, 
and  kept  him  a  prisoner,  but  he  sent  the  rest  away  after 

he  had  filled  their  sacks  with 
corn.  He  told  his  servant  to 
take  the  money  which  they  had 
paid  him,  and  put  it  into  their 
sacks  secretly.  And  when  they 
had  gone,  and  were  on  their 
journey,  as  one  of  them  opened 
his  sack,  he  found  his  money  in 
the  sack's  mouth;  and  when 
they  had  reached  home,  and  had 
emptied  their  sacks,  behold,  ev- 
ery man's  bundle  of  money  was  there.  And  they  and 
their  father  Jacob  were  afraid,  and  wondered  what  it  could 
mean, 

1  NCm'-beb-ing,  measuring  and  counting.     I  *  Pre-teni>'-ing,  feigning. 

2  Quks'-tioned,  asked  questions.  [  5  Dis-trkss'ej),  grieved. 

3  "  Is  not,"  is  not  living.  |  6  an'-guisii,  deep  distress. 

a  Rule  II.,  and  Note  to  Rule  VIII.  b  Rule  III. 


Joseph's  brethren  return  home. 


LESSON  XYIL 

JOSEPH  MAKES  HIMSELF  KNOWN  TO  HIS  BRETHREN. 

1.  Jacob  was  very  sorry  when  he  heard  that  Simeon 
was  a  prisoner  in  Egypt,  and,  being  filled  with  grief  at  the 
thought  of  parting  with  Benjamin,  he  said,  "  Me  have  ye 
bereaved1  of  my  children.  Joseph  is  not',  and  Simeon  is 
not\a  and  ye  will  take  Benjamin  awayV  Eeuben  answer- 
ed, "Give  him  to  mer ;b  I  will  bring  him  to  thee  again7." 

2.  When  all  fhe  corn  was  eaten,  and  Jacob  and  his  sons 
had  but  little  food  left,  Jacob  said  to  his  sons,  "  Go  again 


42  WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER.  Part  1. 

to  Egyptr ;  buy  us  a  little  foodV  But  they  replied,  say- 
ing, "We  dare  not  go  without  Benjamin,  for  the  man  did 
solemnly  command  us,  saying,  'Ye  shall  not  see  my  face 
except  your  brother  be  with  you.'  " 

3.  And  Jacob  said,  "  Why  did  ye  deal  so  ill  with  me  as 
to  tell  the  man  that  ye  had  another  brother^?"0  And  they 
said,  "  The  man  did  ask  us  of  our  state,  and  of  our  kin- 
dred, saying,  f  Is  your  father  yet  alive'  ?d  Have  ye  another 
brother' ?'d  And  we  told  him  according  to  these  words. 
Could  we  certainly  know  that  he  would  say,  Bring  your 
brother  down'?" 

4.  Then  Jacob  said,  "If  it 
must  be  so  now,  do  this:  take 
a  present  for  the  man,  a  little 
balm',  and  a  little  honey',  spices', 
and  myrrh',  nuts',  and  almonds' ; e 
and  give  him  again  the  money 
you  found  in  your  sacks,  and 
take  more  money  for  the  new 
corn,  and  go,  and  Benjamin  may 
go  with  you.     And  may  God 

Jacob  mourns  the  departure  of  Ben-      °.  ^  i      p  i 

jamin.  give  you  mercy  before  the  man, 

that  he  may  send  away  your  other  brother  and  Benjamin." 
So  they  took  Benjamin,  and  departed,  and  went  down  to 
Egypt. 

5.  And  when  Joseph  saw  them  coming,  and  Benjamin 
with  them,  he  said  to  his  servant,  "  Bring  the  men  home ; 
they  shall  dine  with  me  to-day,"  So  the  servant  obeyed, 
and  brought  them  all  to  Joseph's  house,  and  he  talked 
kindly  to  them,  and  Simeon  was  sent  to  them  out  of  prison. 

6.  And  when  Joseph  came  home  at  noon,  his  brothers 
gave  him  the  present  they  had  brought;  but  Joseph  would 
not  take  their  money.  Then  he  asked  them  of  their  wel« 
fare,  and  said,  "  Is  your  father'  well',  the  old  man'  of  whom 
ye  spake'?  Is  he'  yet  alive' ?"f  And  they  answered, 
"Thy  servant  our  father  is  in  good  health';  he  is  yet 
aliveV     And  they  bowed  down  their  heads  before  him. 


Fart  I. 


STOKIES   FROM  THE   BIBLE. 


43 


7.  And  he  lifted  up  his  eyes  and  saw  his  brother  Ben 
jamin\  his  mother's  son\  and  said,  "Is  this  your  younger' 
brother'  of  whom  ye  spake'  unto  me'  ?"f  And  he  said, 
11  God  be  gracious2  unto  thee,  my  son."  The  tears  were 
in  Joseph's  eyes,  but  he  did  not  wish  his  brothers  to  see 
him  weep,  and  he  made  haste,  and  went  into  his  own  room 
and  wept  there.  Then  he  washed  his  face,  and  went  to 
them  again,  and  told  the  servants  to  set  on  bread. 

8.  And  the  servants  did  as  Joseph  commanded  them ; 
and  they  placed  Joseph's  brothers  at  the  table,  the  eldest 
first,  and  so  on  down  to  the  youngest;  and  Joseph's  broth- 
ers wondered  at  this.  And  Joseph  took  and  sent  messes 
unto  them  from  before  him;  but  Benjamin's  mess  was  five 
times  larger  than  any  of  the  others;  and  "they  drank,  and 
were  merry  with  him." 

9.  When  they  had  finished,  Joseph  said  secretly  to  his 
servant,  "  Put  the  men's  corn-money  into  their  sacks  again, 
and  take  my  silver  cup  and  put  it  into  Benjamin's  sack." 
The  servant  obeyed,  and  in  the  morning  he  sent  them 
away.  When  they  were  gone,  Joseph  told  his  servant  to 
run  after  the  men  and  accuse  them  of  having  stolen  the 
cup. 

10.  The  man  went  quickly,  and  soon  overtook  the  broth- 
ers, and  charged3  them  with  having  stolen  his  master's 
cup.     And  they  were  surprised,  and  wondered  very  much, 

for  they  knew  they  had  stolen 
nothing;  and  they  said,  "With 
whomsoever  the  cup  is  found, 
let  him  die,  and  we  will  be  slaves 
to  my  lord."  So  they  all  took 
down  their  sacks,  and  the  man 
searched,  and  began  at  the  eld- 
est, and  left  off  at  the  youngest, 
and  he  found  the  cup  where  he 
had  put  it,  in  Benjamin's  sack. 

The  cup  found  in  Benjamin's  Back.      rp^  thej  rQn^  fa^fa  dotheS,  and 

went  back  to  Joseph,  and  fell  down  before  him. 


9  &'A 

,  -     ■  ■_■  - 
■    - 

w!:s 

:.:' 

44  WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Part  I. 

11.  Then  Joseph  said,  "What  is  this  that  ye  have 
done*  ?"c  And  Judah  answered,  "  What  shall  we  say*  ? 
or  how  shall  we  clear  ourselves*?0  God  has  found  out 
our  iniquity;  behold,  we  are  my  lord's  servants."  But 
Joseph  said,  "  The  man  with  whom  the  cup  was  found, 
he  shall  be  my  servant'  ;a  but  go  you  in  peace  to  your  fa- 
ther*." 

12.  Then  Judah  came  near  to  Joseph ;  and  he  told  him 
how  much  his  father  Jacob  loved  Benjamin,  and  how  un- 
willing he  had  been  to  part  with  him ;  and  he  also  said, 
"  Thy  servant  became  surety5  for  the  lad  unto  my  father ; 
let  me  then  abide,  instead  of  the  lad,  a  bondman  to  my 
lord;  and  let  the  lad  go  with  his  brethren;  for  how  shall 
I  go  to  my  father,  and  the  lad  be  not  with  me*  ?  lest  I  see 
the  evil  that  shall  come  on  my  father." 

13.  Then  Joseph  could  not  refrain6  himself  any  longer, 
and  he  said  to  his  servants,  "  Go  out  from  me."'  And  they 
went  away,  and  Joseph  stood  alone  with  his  brothers. 
Then  he  wept  aloud,  and  said,  "lam  Joseph,  your  broth- 
er, whom  ye  sold  into  Egypt ;  is  my  father 'f  yet  alive'  ?" 

Vu  ,  And  his  brothers  could  not  an- 
swer him.  But  Joseph  spoke 
very  kindly  to  them,  and  said, 
"Bo  not  be  sorry,  nor  angry 
with  yourselves,  because  you 
sold  me  into  Egypt;  for  God 
sent  me  here  to  preserve  life." 
Then  he  fell  upon  his  brothers' 
necks,  and  kissed  them,  and 
wept  upon  them;  and  they  all 
bretluvn-  talked  and  wept  together. 

14.  And  after  this  Joseph  sent  his  brothers  back  to  Ca- 
naan, laden7  with  corn,  and  with  presents  for  their  father; 
and  he  gave  them  wagons,  and  he  told  them  to  bring  their 
father  Jacob,  and  all  that  they  had,  down  to  Egypt,  and 
dwell  there.  The  old  man  could  hardly  believe  them  when 
they  told  him  all  these  things :  but  when  he  saw  the  wag- 


Joaepli  Makes  himself  kuuwn  to  kirf 


Part  I. 


STORIES  FROM  THE  BIBLE. 


45 


ons,  and  the  presents,  lie  exclaimed,  "It  is  enough^ ;  Jo- 
seph, my  son,  is  yet  aliveN ;  I  will  go  and  see  him  before  I 
die." 

15.  Then  Jacob,  who  was  called  Israel,  started  to  go 
down  to  Egypt,  taking  with  him  all  his  family,  and  his 
sons  and  daughters,  and  their  families,  and  his  flocks,  and 
his  herds.  And  while  he  was  on  the  journey,  God  spake 
to  him  in  the  visions8  of  the  night,  and  said,  "Jacob!  Ja- 
cob I"  And  he  answered,  "  Here  am  I."  And  God  said 
to  him,  "lam  the  God  of  thy  father.  Fear  not  to  go 
down  into  Egypt ;  for  I  will  there  make  of  thee  a  great 
nation." 

16.  And  Joseph  came  as  far  as  Goshen  to  meet  his  fa- 

ther :  and  when  he  saw  him,  he 
fell  upon  his  neck,  and  wept; 
and  after  that  he  took  him  to 
see  Pharaoh.  And  Jacob  bless- 
ed Pharaoh ;  and  Pharaoh  gave 
the  children  of  Israel  the  land 
of  Goshen  to  dwell  in.  And 
when  Jacob  had  lived  seventeen 
years  in  the  land  of  Goshen,  he 
died  at  the  age  of  a  hundred  and 

The  body  of  Jacob  is  earned  to  Ca-  ° 

naan  for  burial.  forty-seven  years.     As  Joseph 

had  before  promised,  he  took  the  body  of  his  father  down 
to  Canaan,  and  buried  it  there.  And  the  children  of  Is- 
rael increased  in  numbers  and  riches  in  the  land  of 
Egypt. 


i  Be-reavsd',  deprived. 

2  Gra'-cious,  kind ;  merciful. 

3  Charged,  accused. 

4  Rent,  tore. 


5  Sure'-ty  (sMre'-ty),  security  against 

6  Re-frain',  restrain ;  keep  back. 

7  La'-den,  loaded. 

8  Vis'-ions,  dreams. 


a  Rule  VI.,  comparison.  b  Rule  X.,  entreaty.  c  Rule  III. 

d  Rule  I.  e  Rule  II.,  succession  of  particulars  ;  see,  also,  Rule  VIII.,  Note. 

f  Rule  IX. 


Note  a,  verse  11 The  word  servant  has  the  rising  inflection,  and  father  the  falling, 

on  the  supposition  of  comparison  or  contrast  between  "  he"  and  "  you."  If,  however,  it 
be  supposed  that  the  sense  is  u  completed"  at  the  word  servant,  then  servant  should  re- 
ceive the  falling  inflection,  in  accordance  with  Rule  II.  Many  cases  of  this  kind  must 
necessarily  occur  in  which  different  inflections  will  be  used  by  equally  good  readers,  de- 
pending, however,  upon  the  differences  of  meaning  wbich  they  severally  attach  to  the 
sentence. 


46 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  I. 


LESSON  XVIIL 

THE  STORY  OF  MOSES. 

1.  After  the  death  of  Joseph,  the  Israelites  continued  to 
prosper  in  the  land  of  Egypt :  but  after  many  years  a  new 
king  ascended  the  throne,  and  treated  them  with  great 


Part  I.  STOEIES   FROM  THE  BIBLE.  47 

cruelty.  He  not  only  made  serv- 
~-*y  ants  of  them,  and  compelled  them 
to  labor  hard  in  the  fields,  and  m 
making  bricks,  but  he  made  a 
law  that  every  little  Israelitish1 
boy  that  was  born  should  be 
thrown  into  the  Kiver  Nile,  and 
drowned. 

2.  It  was   at  this  time  that 
Moses   was  born ;    and,  as   he 

The  Israelites  are  made  servants.  wgfl  ft  g00dly  cllM,  his  moth- 
er hid  him  three  months.  And  when  she  could  no 
longer  hide  him,  she  made  an  ark  of  bulrushes,2  and 
daubed  it  with  slime  and  pitch  so  that  the  water  could 
not  get  in,  and  then  she  put  the  child  into  the  ark,  and 
laid  it  among  the  reeds  or  flags  by  the  side  of  the  river. 
Then  she  went  away  weeping;  but  she  left  her  little 
daughter  Miriam  near  by  to  watch,  and  see  what  should 
become  of  the  child. 

3.  Soon  after,  the  daughter  of  Pharaoh,  the  king,  came 
down  to  the  river,  with  her  maidens,  to  bathe ;  and  when 
she  saw  the  ark  among  the  reeds,  she  sent  her  maids  to 
bring  it  to  her.  When  she  had  opened  the  ark,  she  saw 
the  child ;  and  the  babe  looked  up,  and  wept.  Then  the 
king's  daughter  was  moved  with  pity,  and  she  said,.  "It 
is  one  of  the  Hebrews'3  children." 

4.  When  Miriam  heard  her  speak  kindly,  she  went  up 
to  the  princess,  and  said,  "  Shall  I  go  and  call  a  Hebrew 
woman  to  nurse  the  child  for  thee'?"  Pharaoh's  daugh- 
ter said  "Go."  Then  Miriam  ran  home,  and  brought  her 
mother;  and  the  kind  princess  said  to  her,  "Take  this 
child,  and  nurse  it  for  me,  and  I  will  pay  thee  thy  wages." 
And  the  mother  took  the  child,  and  nursed  it.  The  king's 
daughter  loved  the  child,  and  said,  "  He  shall  be  my  son, 
and  I  will  name  him  Moses,  because  I  drew  him  out  of  the 
water." 

5.  Moses  grew  up  a  good  man,  and  worshiped  the  God 


48 


willson's  thied  eeader. 


Paet  L 


Mo8ea  sent  to  Pharaoh. 


they  may  serve  me. 


of  his  fathers,  Abraham,  Isaac, 
and  Jacob.  And  God  blessed 
him,  and  made  him  wiser  than 
any  of  the  Egyptians,  and,  at 
length,  through  him,  delivered 
the  children  of  Israel  from  their 
bondage4  in  Egypt.  It  was  by 
the  command  of  the  Lord  that 
Moses  went  to  Pharaoh,  and 
said,  "Thus  saith  the  Lord  God 
of  Israel,  Let  my  people  go,  that 


6.  And  when  Pharaoh  would 
not  let  the  Israelites  go  away 
from  Egypt,  Moses,  at  the  com- 
mand of  the  Lord,  stretched  forth 
his  hand,  and  the  Lord  sent  great 
plagues5  upon  Pharaoh  and  the 
Egyptians ;  and  when  the  Israel- 
ites went  away,  and  Pharaoh 
pursued  after  them  with  his  char- 
iots  and  his  horsemen,  Moses 

The  Egyptians  pursue  the  Israelites.     stretched   forth    his    hand    again, 

and  the  Lord  destroyed  Pharaoh  and  all  his  hosts  in  the 
Red  Sea. 


Iif>'-HAEi.-T-Tisn,  belonging  to  the  children 

of  Israel. 

Bul'-busii,  a  large  kind  of  rush  or  flag. 


3  IIE'-brews,  one  of  the  names  by  which 

the  Israelites  were  called. 
*  BQnd'-agk,  servitude. 
5  Plague,  any  great  evil  or  calamity. 


LESSON  XIX. 

MOSES  SAVED  BY  THE  KING'S  DAUGHTER. 

1.  By  the  side  of  a  river  so  clear, 

They  carried  the  beautiful  child ; 
Mid  the  flags  and  the  bushes, 
In  an  ark  of  bulrushes, 


Part  I.  STOKIES  FROM  THE  BIBLE.  49 

They  left  him  so  lonely  and  wild ; 
For  the  bad  men  would  come, 
If  he  tarried1  at  home, 
And  murder  that  infant  so  dear. 

2.  By  the  side  of  the  river  so  clear, 

The  ladies  were  winding2  their  way, 

When  Pharaoh's  daughter, 

Went  down  to  the  water, 
To  bathe3  at  the  close  of  the  day ; 

Before  it  was  dark 

She  opened  the  ark, 
And  found  a  sweet  infant  was  there. 

3.  By  the  side  of  the  river  so  clear, 

That  infant  was  lonely  and  sad ; 
And  she  took  him  in  pity, 
And  thought  him  so  pretty, 
And  made  little  Moses  so  glad ; 
She  called  the  loved  one 
Her  beautiful  son, 
And  sent  for  a  nurse  that  was  near. 

4.  Away  from  the  river  so  clear, 

They  carried  the  beautiful  child, 

To  his  own  tender  mother, 

His  sister  and  brother, 
And  then  he  looked  happy  and  smiled ; 

His  mother,  so  good, 

Did  all  that  she  could 
To  nurse  him  and  teach  him  with  care ; 

And  a  good  man  he  grew, 

And  a  wise  one  too, 
For  the  Spirit4  of  God  was  there. 

*  Tak'-eied,  staid.  I  3  Bathe,  wash. 

2  Wind'-ing,  passing  along,  not  in  a  direct    *  "  Spieit  of  God,"  God's  influence, 
line. 


50 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  L 


V 


LESSON  XX. 

DAVID  AND  GOLIATH. 
1.  Long  after  the  time  of  Moses,  while  the  Israelites 
dwelt  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  and  Saul  was  king  over  them, 
there  was  war  between  the  children  of  Israel  and  the  Phil- 
istines;1 and  the  three  eldest  sons  of  Jesse  were  with  the 

army  of  Saul. 

2.  Now  Jesse  had  a  young 
son,  David  by  name ;  and  David 
was  a  shepherd,  and  kept  his  fa- 
ther's flocks.  One  day  Jesse 
called  David,  and  said,  "  Go  now 
to  the  camp,  and  see  thy  broth- 
ers, and  ask  if  they  are  well ;  and 
take  them  some  corn,  and  ten 
loaves  of  bread,  and  carry  these 

David  the  shepherd.  t(m  ^^  t()  ^^  ^^  „ 


Part  I.  STORIES  FROM  THE  BIBLE.  51 

3.  And  David  rose  up  early  in  the  morning,  and  left 
the  sheep  with  a  keeper,  and  went  as  his  father  had  com- 
manded him.  When  he  came  near  the  army  he  heard  a 
great  shout,  for  the  soldiers  were  just  going  to  begin  the 
battle.  Then  he  made  haste,  and  ran  to  speak  to  his 
brethren. 

4.  While  they  were  talking,  a  giant  came  out  of  the 
Philistines'  army,  named  Goliath,2  of  Gath.  He  was  very 
tall,  and  covered  with  thick  armor,  and  he  had  a  great 
sword,  and  shield,  and  spear ;  and  he  stood  and  called  to 
the  army  of  Israel,  and  said,  "  Why  do  ye  come  out  to 
fight'  ?  Am  not  I  a  Philistine,  and  ye  servants  to  Saul'  ? 
Choose  a  man,  and  let  him  come  out  and  fight  me.  If  he 
be  able  to  kill  me',  then  will  we  be  your  servants'  ;a  but 
if  I  kill  him',  then  shall  ye  be  our  servants\"a 

5.  When  the  Israelites  heard  these  words  they  were 
afraid,  and  fled  before  the  giant.  And  David  said,  "  Who 
is  this  Philistine,  that  he  should  defy  the  armies  of  the  liv- 
ing God'  ?"b  And  the  people  told  him  that  he  came  every 
day  to  fight,  and  that  no  one  dare  go  out  to  meet  him,  and 
that  the  king  had  promised  to  give  great  riches  to  the  man 
who  should  kill  him,  and  to  make  him  the  king's  son-in-law. 

6.  When  Eliab,3  David's  eldest  brother,  heard  David 
talking  about  the  Philistine,  he  was  angry  with  David,  and 
said  to  him,  "  Why  earnest  thou  here'  ?b  What  hast  thou 
done  with  those  few  sheep  in  the  wilderness'  ?b  I  know 
thy  pride,  and  the  naughtiness  of  thy  heart',0  for  thou  art 
come  down  to  see  the  battle'."  But  David  answered  gently, 
"  What  have  I  now  done'  ?b    Is  there  not  a  cause'  ?"d 

7.  Then  some  of  the  people  went  to  Saul,  and  told  what 
David  said ;  and  Saul  sent  for  David.  Then  David  spoke 
boldly  to  the  king,  and  said  to  him,  "Do  not  fear  this 
great  Philistine ;  I  am  ready  to  go  and  fight  him."  But 
Saul  said,  "  Thou  art  not  able  to  fight  with  him ;  for  thou 
art  but  a  youth,  and  he  is  a  man  of  war,  and  has  been 
used  to  fighting  all  his  life." 

8.  And  David  said  unto  Saul,  "  I  am  a  shepherd,  and 


52 


WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER. 


Part  I. 


[he  lion. 


I  keep  my  father's  sheep  in 
Bethlehem.  One  day  a  lion  and 
a  bear  came  to  my  flock,  and 
took  away  a  lamb ;  and  I  ran, 
and  smote  them,  and  saved  the 
lamb,  and  took  it  out  of  the 
lion's  mouth.  Thy  servant  slew 
both  the  lion  and  the  bear ;  and 
this  Philistine  shall  be  as  one 
of  them,  seeing  he  hath  defied 
the  armies  of  the  living  God. 
The  Lord  will  deliver  me  out  of  his  hands." 

9.  Then  Saul  took  courage,  and  said,  "  Go' ;  and  the 
Lord  be  with  thee."  And  Saul  put  his  own  armor  upon 
David ;  he  gave  him  a  coat  of  mail,  and  a  sword,  and  put 
a  helmet4  of  brass  upon  his  head.  But  David  said,  "I 
can  not  go  with  these,  for  I  have  not  proved5  them." 
Then  he  put  them  off;  and  he  took  his  staff,  and  chose 
him  five  smooth  stones  out  of  the  brook,  and  put  them 
into  his  shepherd's  bag ;  and  with  these,  and  a  sling  in  his 
nand,  he  went  out  to  meet  the  giant. 

10.  As  the  Philistine  came  on,  and  saw  David,  he  de- 
spised6 him ;  for  David  was  but  a  youth',  and  ruddy',7  and 
of  a  fair  countenanced  And  the  Philistine  said  to  David, 
"Am  I  a  dog,e  that  thou  comest  to  me  with  a  staff'?"6 
And  then  he  cursed  David,  and  said,  "  Come  to  me',  and 
I  will  give  thy  flesh  to  the  fowls  of  the  air',  and  to  the 
beasts  of  the  fieldV 

11.  Then  said  David  to  the  Philistine,  "  Thou  comest 
to  me  with  a  sword',  and  a  spear',  and  a  shield' ;  but  I 
come  to  thee  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  of  hosts' ;  the  God 
of  the  armies  of  Israel  which  thou  hast  defied'.  This  day 
will  the  Lord  deliver  thee  into  my  hand' ;  and  I  will  smite 
thee',  and  take  thy  head  from  thee' ;  and  I  will  give  the 
bodies  of  the  host  of  the  Philistines  this  day  unto  the  fowls 
of  the  air',  and  to  the  wild  beasts  of  the  earth' ;  that  all 
the  earth  may  know  that  there  is  a  God  in  Israel'." 


Part  I.  STORIES  FROM  THE   BIBLE.  53 

12.  Then  David  ran  to  meet  the  Philistine^ ;  and  he  put 
his  hand  into  his  bag',  and  took  a  stone',  and  put  it  into 
his  sling',  and  slang  itr ;  and  the  stone  struck  the  forehead 
of  the  giant',  and  sank  into  it',f  so  that  he  fell  upon  his 
face  to  the  earth\  And  David  ran  to  the  Philistine',  and 
stood  upon  him',  and  took  the  sword  of  the  giant',  and 
slew  him',f  and  cut  off  his  head\  Then  all  the  Philistines 
fled ;  and  the  army  of  Israel  pursued  them,  even  unto  theii 
own  country,  and  killed  a  vast  multitude  of  them. 


i  Piiil'-is-tines,  inhabitants  of  Western 
Palestine. 

2  Go-li'-ath  (or  Go-li'-ah). 

3  E'-LI-AB. 


*  Hee'-met,  armor  for  the  head. 

5  Peov'ed,  tried. 

6  DE-srls'EB,  scorned  ;  disdained. 

7  RCd'-dy,  of  a  reddish,  youthful  color. 

a  Rule  VI.,  comparison  and  contrast.  h  Paile  III. 

c  Rule  VIII.,  emphatic  succession  of  particulars.  d  Rule  I. 

e  Rule  XI.,  sarcasm.  f  Rule  II.,  unemphatic  succession  of  particulars. 


LESSON  XXI. 

DAVID,  SAUL,  AND  JONATHAN. 

1.  On  the  return  of  David  from  the  slaughter1  of  the 
Philistine,  Abner,  the  captain  of  the  king's  host,  met  him 
and  brought  him  to  Saul,  with  the  head  of  the  Philistine 
in  his  hand.  And  Saul  said  to  him,  "Whose  son  art 
thou\a  young  man'?"b  And  David  said,  "I  am  the  son 
of  thy  servant  Jesse,  the  Beth'-lehemite." 

2.  And  Saul  would  not  let  David  go  back  to  his  father's 
house,  but  kept  him,  and  made  him  a  captain  over  the 

men  of  war.  And  Jonathan, 
Saul's  son,  loved  David ;  and  he 
took  off  his  own  robe,  and  gave 
it  to  David;  and  he  also  gave 
him  his  own  sword,  and  his  bow, 
and  his  girdle.     - 

3.  And  when  Saul  and  his 
army  were  returning  home  from 
the  battle,  the  women  came  out 
to  meet  them  with  instruments 

David  is  praised  more  than  Saul.       of  mVLs[c      ^  ag  they  ^^  and 


54  WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Part  I. 

danced,  and  played,  they  answered  one  to  another,  and 
said,  "  Saul  hath  slain  his  thousands,  and  David  his  ten 
thousands."  These  words  displeased  Saul,  and  from  that 
time  he  became  jealous2  of  David,  and  often,  in  fits  of  an- 
ger, tried  to  kill  him. 

4.  At  one  time,  when  Saul  was  in  his  own  house,  he 
hurled3  a  javelin4  at  David,  but  David  got  out  of  his  way, 
and  the  javelin  struck  the  wall.  Then  Saul  sent  David 
out  to  fight  against  the  Philistines,  hoping  that  he  would 
fall  in  battle ;  but  God  was  with  David,  and  kept  him  safe 
from  harm.  And  Jonathan  told  David  that  his  father 
Saul  sought  to  kill  him,  and  so  David  hid  himself. 

5.  Saul  thought  that  at  the  time  of  the  feast  of  the  new 
moon  David  would  be  at  the  feast,  and  then  he  would  kill 
him.  But  Jonathan  met  David,  and  the  two  friends  talk- 
ed about  the  matter,  and  they  agreed  that,  if  Saul  should 
be  angry,  and  still  determine  to  kill  David,  Jonathan 
should  go  out  into  the  field  where  David  was  hid,  and  let 
him  know,  by  some  sign,  that  it  would  not  be  safe  for  him 
to  return. 

6.  And  this  is  what  the  two  friends  agreed  upon.  Jon- 
athan said,  "  I  will  come  out  into  the  field  on  the  morning 
of  the  third  day,  and  shoot  three  arrows  near  the  place 
where  thou  art  hid,  as  though  I  shot  at  a  mark.  Then  I 
will  say  to  the  lad  who  shall  be  with  me,  '  Go,  and  find 
the  arrows.7  If  I  say  to  him,  *  Behold,  the  arrows  are  on 
this  side  of  thee','  then  thou  may  est  comex  ;c  for  it  shall  be 
a  sign  that  my  father  will  not  hurt  thee.  But  if  I  say  to 
the  lad,  '  Behold,  the  arrows  are  beyond  thee','  then  know 
that  there  is  danger,  and  escapeV 

7.  At  the  time  of  the  feast,  David's  place  was  empty, 
and  Saul  wondered  where  he  was,  but  said  nothing.  Next 
day,  also,  David  was  not  at  the  feast,  and  Saul  began  to  be 
angry,  and  said,  "  Where  is  Davidx  ?  He  was  not  at  the 
feast  yesterday',0  and  I  do  not  see  him  here  to-day\  Why 
does  he  not  come^  ?"  And  when  Jonathan  made  some  ex- 
cuse for  David,  Saul  was  very  angry,  and  said,  "  David 


Part  I. 


STORIES   FROM  THE   BIBLE. 


55 


shall  die;  send  and  bring  him  here,  for  he  shall  surely 
die."  But  Jonathan  said,  "  Why  shall  David  die"  ?  What 
hath  he  donex  ?"  Then  Saul  was  still  more  angry ;  and 
he  threw  a  javelin  at  Jonathan,  because  Jonathan  loved 
David. 

8.  Then  Jonathan  arose  quickly,  and  went  away  from 
the  table,  and  he  was  very  sad,  and  ate  no  meat  that  day. 
The  next  morning  he  went  out  into  the  field  at  the  time 

agreed  upon,  and  he  had  his  bow 
and  arrows,  and  a  little  lad  was 
with  him.  And  he  shot  the  ar- 
rows, and  said  to  the  lad,  "  Eun 
and  find  them."  And  as  the 
lad  ran,  he  shot  an  arrow  beyond 
him,  and  called,  and  said,  "Is 
not  the  arrow  beyond  thee'? 
Make  haste  and  bring  me  the 
arrows."  Than  Jonathan  sent 
the  lad  away,  and  when  he  was 

gone  David  arose,  and  the  two  friends  met,  and  kissed  each 

other,  and  wept  together. 

9.  Then  David  went  first  into  the  country  of  the  Phil- 
istines to  escape  from  Saul,  and  after  that  he  fled  to  the 
mountains,  but  Saul  pursued  after  him.  At  one  time 
David  and  his  men  were  in  a  cave,  and  Saul  went  into  the 
same  cave  to  rest,  not  knowing  that  David  was  there. 

While  Saul  was  asleep,  David 
might  have  killed  him,  but  he 
would  not ;  but  he  cut  off  a  part 
of  Saul's  robe,  that  Saul  might 
know  that  his  life  had  been 
spared. 

10.  At    another   time,   while 

Saul,  and  Abner  his  captain,  and 

his  men,  were  asleep  at  night  in 

their  camp,  David  went  and  took 

David  takes  Saul's  spear.  Saul's  spear,  and  a  bottle  of  water 


Jonathan  shoots  the  arrows. 


56 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  I. 


that  was  near  his  pillow,  and  carried  them  to  the  top  of  a 
hill  afar  off.  Then  he  called  aloud  to  Abner,  and  said, 
"Abner',  what  are  you  doing'?  Why  do  you  not  take 
better  care  of  your  king'  ?  See  where  the  king's  spear  is, 
and  the  bottle  of  water  that  was  by  his  pillow." 

11.  Then  Saul,  when  he  heard  David's  voice,  said,  "I 
have  sinned :  return,  my  son  David ;  I  will  no  more  do 
thee  any  harm,  for  thou  hast  spared  my  life  this  day." 
Then  one  of  Saul's  men  went  over  and  carried  back  the 
spear  and  the  bottle  of  water,  and  David  and  Saul  parted 

friends;  but  David  was  still 
afraid  of  Saul,  and  went  to  dwell 
in  another  country. 

12.  After  this  the  war  con- 
tinued between  the  Israelites 
and  the  Philistines,  and  there 
was  a  great  battle  on  Mount 
Gilboa,5  and  the  Israelites  fled, 
and  Saul's  sons  were  slain ;  and 
Saul  fell  on  his  own  sword,  and 
killed  himself,  that  he  might  not 

fall  into  the  hands  of  the  Philistines.     Then  David  came 

back  to  his  country,  and  became 
king  in  the  place  of  Saul. 

13.  But  David  mourned  for 
Jonathan,  and  wrote  a  song  of 
lamentation6  for  Saul  and  his 
sons,  and  said,  "The  beauty  of 
Israel  is  slain.  How  are  the 
mighty  fallen  in  the  midst  of 
the  battle.  O  Jonathan',  thou 
wast  slain  in  thy  high  places. 

Saul  and  his  sons  are  among  the  Blain.    Hqw  are  ^  mighty  fallen?  and 

the  weapons  of  war  perished !" 


The  battle  on  Mount  Gilboa. 


i  Slaugh'-teb  (slaw'-tcr),  destruction. 
2  Jka:,'-ous  o'cl'-ws),  suspicious. 
:|  llrr.i/KD,  threw  with  violence. 

a  RuleITI. 


I  *  Javb'-lin  (jav'-liri),  a  kind  of  spea* 

5  Gil'-ho-a. 
I  •  Lam-en-ta'-tion,  mourning. 

b  Rule  TT.  c  Rule  VL 


Part  I. 


STORIES   FROM  THE   BIBLE. 


57 


LESSON  XXII. 

SOLOMON,  THE  WISE  KING. 
1.  David  reigned1  over  Israel  many  years :  and  while 
he  was  yet  king  he  wrote  the  book  of  Psalms,  which  con- 
tains many  of  his  prayers  to  the  Lord,  and  his*  praises  of 
God's  goodness  and  mercies.     When  he  became  old  he 

caused  his  son  Solomon  to  be 
crowned  king;  and  Zadok2  the 
priest,  and  Nathan  the  prophet, 
took  Solomon  and  poured  oil 
upon  his  head,  and  all  the  people 
shouted,  "  God  save  kinga  Solo- 
mon'." And  David  charged3 
Solomon,  saying,  "Walk  thou  in 
the  ways4  of  the  Lord,  and  serve 
him,  and  then  shalt  thou  prosper6 
in  all  that  thou  doest." 
C2 


Solomon  crowned  king. 


58  WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Part  I. 

2.  After  David  was  dead,  Solomon  went  down  to  Gibeon 
to  offer  sacrifices  to  the  Lord.  There  God  appeared  to 
Solomon  in  a  dream  by  night,  and  said  to  him,  "  Ask  what 
I  shall  give  thee."  And  Solomon  said,  "  I  am  but  a  child, 
yet  I  am  the  king  of  a  great  people,  and  I  know  not  what 
to  do.  Give  me,  therefore,  wisdom  and  knowledge,  a  wise 
and  understanding6  heart,  that  I  may  know  how  to  rule 
the  people  as  it  shall  please  thee." 

3.  Then  God  said  unto  him,  "  Because  thou  hast  asked 
for  wisdom  and  understanding,7  and  hast  not  asked  for  thy- 
self long  life',  nor  riches',  nor  the  destruction  of  thine  ene- 
mies', behold,  I  will  give  thee  wisdom',  so  that  there  shall 
be  none  like  unto  thee* ;  and  I  will  also  give  thee  what 
thou  hast  not  asked* ;  both  riches'  and  honor* ;  and  if  thou 
wilt  walk  in  my  ways,  and  keep  my  law,  as  thy  father 
David  did,  I  will  give  thee  long  life  also."  And  Solomon 
awoke* ;  and,  behold',  it  was  a  dream\ 

4.  Solomon  sat  on  his  throne,  and  decided8  causes  which 
the  people  brought  before  him.  One  day  there  came  to 
him  two  women,  and  brought  two  infant  children  with 
them.  One  child  was  alive  and  well,  but  the  other  was 
dead ;  and  each  claimed  the  live  child  as  her  own.  First, 
one  of  the  women  spoke,  and  said,  "  Oh,  my  lord',  I  and 
this  woman  live  together  in  one  house.  We  had  each  a 
little  son* ;  but  this  woman's  child  died  in  the  night ;  and 
when  it  was  dead  she  carried  it  to  me,  when  I  was  asleep, 

and  stole  away  my  child':  and 
when  I  awoke  in  the  morning, 
and  looked  at  the  dead  child',  I 
knew'  it  was  not  mine*." 

5.  Then  the  other  woman  cried 
out,  angrily,  "It  is  not  so*:  but 
the  living  is  my  son',  and  the  dead 
is  her  son*."  Then  the  first  said, 
"  No* :  but  the  dead  is  thy  son', 
?  and  the  living  is  m?/son*."b  Thus 

Solomon's  wiao  Judgment  q^  disputed    before   the   king  I 


Part  I. 


STORIES  FROM  THE   BIBLE. 


59 


and  who  could  know  which  told  the  trutV?  Then  Solo- 
mon said,  "  The  one  saith,  This  is  my  son  that  liveth',  and 
thy  son  is  the  deadv :  and  the  other  saith,  Nay\  but  thy  son 
is  the  dead',  and  my  son  is  the  livingY'  Then  he  said, 
"  Bring  me  a  sword." 

6.  And  they  brought  a  sword  to  the  king :  and  he  said, 
"  Divide  the  living  child  in  two,  and  give  half  to  one 
woman',  and  half  to  the  other"."  Then  the  true  mother 
cried  out,  "  Oh,  do  not  kill  the  chikT :  let  the  other  wom- 
an havex  it."c  But  the  other  said,  "  Let  it  be  neither  mine 
nor  thine,  but  divide  it."  Then  Solomon  knew  that  the 
mother  of  the  child  was  the  one  that  would  rather  give  it 
away  than  have  it  killed,  and  he  said,  "Give  her  the  liv- 
ing child,  and  in  no  wise  slay 
it.  She  is  the  mother  thereof." 
And  when  the  people  heard  of 
the  matter,  they  feared  the  king, 
for  they  saw  that  the  wisdom  of 
God  was  in  him. 

7.  And   Solomon   was   king 

many  years.     He  built  a  great 

temple  to  the  Lord,  as  God  had 

directed  him.     The  Bible  tells 

soiouion'fl  great  wisdom.         us  ^hat  he  was  wiser  than  all 

other  men,  and  that  people  came  from  all  nations  to  learn 

wisdom  from  him. 

„_____ ___,       8.  The  Bible  also  tells  us  that 

|  "he  spoke  three  thousand  prov- 
erbs," or  wise  sayings ;  that  his 
"songs  were  a  thousand  and 
five ;"  and  that  he  wrote  about 
trees,  "from  the  cedar-tree  that 
is  in  Lebanon,  even  unto  the 
hyssop  that  springeth  out  of  the 
wall;"  and  also  that  he  wrote 
about  beasts',  and  fowls',  and 
creeping    things',    and    fishes\ 


He  writes  the  Book  of  Proverbs. 


60 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  I. 


The  Book  of  Proverbs,  the  Book  of  Ecclesiastes,9  and  the 
Book  of  Songs — all  of  which  are  found  in  the  Bible — are 
some  of  the  writings  of  King  Solomon. 


1  Reign'ed  {runed),  ruled. 

2  Za'dok. 

3  Charg'ed,  commanded. 

*  Ways,  laws  ;  commandments. 
6  Pbos'-peb,  succeed. 


6  Un-der-stand'-ing,  knowing. 

7  Un-dee-stand'-ing,  knowledge. 

8  De-cid'-ed,  judged;  decided  disputes. 

9  E€-€LE-8I-AS'-TES. 


a  Rule  XII.    Monotone. 

b  Rule  VI.     Comparison  and  contrast ;  and  also  Note  to  Rule  IV. 

c  Rule  X.     Entreaty. 


LESSON  XXIII. 

SOME  OF  THE  WISE  SAYINGS  AND  ADVICE  OF  KING 
SOLOMON. 

1.  Wisdom1  is  the  principal  thing.  The  fear  of  the 
Lord  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom.  Trust  in  the  Lord  with 
all  thy  heart.  In  all  that  thou  doest  acknowledge  him, 
and  he  shall  direct  thy  paths.  Be  not  wise  in  thine  own 
eyes,  but  fear  the  Lord,  and  depart  from  evil. 

2.  My  son,  hear  the  instruction 
of  thy  father,  and  forsake  not  the 
law  of  thy  mother.  A  wise  son 
maketh  a  glad  father,  but  a  fool- 
ish son  is  the  heaviness  of  his 
mother.  Whoso  loveth  instruc- 
tion, loveth  knowledge ;  but  he 
that  hateth  reproof  is  brutish.3 
Poverty  and  shame  shall  be  to 
him  that  refuseth  instruction. 

3.  Enter  not  into  the  path  of 
the  wicked,  and  go  not  in  the  way  of  evil  men.  If  sinners 
entice4  thee,  consent  thou  not.  He  that  walketh  with  wise 
men  shall  be  wise ;  but  a  companion  of  fools  shall  be  de- 
stroyed. It  is  better  to  hear  the  rebuke5  of  the  wise,  than 
the  song  of  fools.  A  good  name  is  rather  to  be  chosen 
than  great  riches. 

4.  Lying  lips  are  an  abomination6  to  the  Lord,  but  they 


Hear  instruction. 


Part  I. 


STOKIES  FKOM  THE  BIBLE. 


61 


A  mild  answer. 


that  deal  truly  are  his  delight.     A  faithful  witness  will 
not  lie,  but  a  false  witness  will  utter  lies.     A  righteous 

man  hateth  lying,  but  a  wicked 
man  is  loathsome  and  cometh 
to  shame.  He  that  speaketh 
lies  shall  perish. 

5.  He  that  is  slow  to  anger  is 
better  than  the  mighty ;  and  he 
that  ruleth  his  spirit,  than  he 
that  taketh  a  city.  A  soft  an- 
swer turneth  away  ivraths ;  but 
grievous  words  stir  up  anger. 
He  that  is  slow  to  wrath  is  of 
great  understanding;  but  he  that  is  soon  angry  dealeth  fool- 
ishly. 

6.  Seest  thou  a  man  that  is  hasty  in  his  words'  ?  There 
is  more  hope  of  a  fooV  than  of 
him'.  It  is  as  sport  to  a  fool  to 
do  mischief :  but  a  man  of  under- 
standing hath  wisdom\  He  that 
covereth7  his  sins  shall  not  pros- 
per: but  he  who  confesseth  and 
forsaketh  his  sins  shall  have  mercy. 
Though  hand  join  in  hand,  the 
wicked  shall  not  go  unpunished. 
7.  Wine  is  a  mocker;  strong 
drink  is  raging ;  and  whosoever 
is  deceived  thereby  is  not  wise.  Who  hath  woe*?  Who 
hath  sorrow*  ?  Who  hath  contentions*  ?8  Who  hath  bab- 
bling^?9 Who  hath  wounds  without  cause*?  Who  hath 
redness  of  eyes*  ?  They  that  tarry  long  at  the  wine.  Look 
not  thou  upon  the  wine  when  it  is  red :  at  the  last  it  biteth 
like  a  serpent,  and  stingeth  like  an  adder.  The  drunkard 
and  the  glutton  shall  come  to  poverty. 

8.  The  wicked  flee  when  no  man  pursueth;  but  the 
righteous  are  bold  as  a  lion.  Walk  not  thou  in  the  way 
with  sinners ;  refrain10  thy  foot  from  their  path.     The  way 


Confess  your  faults. 


62 


willson's  third  reader. 


Paet  I, 


of  the  wicked  is  as  darkness :  they  know  not  at  what  they 

|u«        ^  stumble :   but  the  way  of  the 

J  just  is  as  the  shining  light,  that 

shineth  more  and  more  unto  the 

perfect  day. 

9.  Boast  not  thyself  of  to-mor- 
row ;  for  thou  knowest  not  what 
a  day  may  bring  forth.  Remem- 
ber thy  Creator  in  the  days  of  thy 
youth.  Fear  God,  and  keep  his 
commandments ;  for  God  shall 

Remember  thy  Creator.  hl'lUg  QVeiJ  WOrk  into  judgment, 

with  every  secret  thing,  whether  it  be  good',  or  whether  it 
be  eviP. 


1  WTs'-d6m,  knowledge ;  true  religion. 

2  II kav'-i-ness,  sorrow;  grief. 

3  Bru'-tibh,  like  a  brute  or  beast. 
«  En-tice',  try  to  lead  astray. 

6  liErBOKE',  reproof  for  faults. 


6  A-bom-in-a'-tion,  that  which  is  detested. 

7  €6v'-er-eth,  concealeth. 

8  €on-t£n'-tion,  strife. 

9  Bab'-bijng,  foolish  talk  ;  telling  secreta. 
i°  Re-frain', hold  back;  keep  from. 


LESSON  XXIV. 

WORTH  OF  THE  SCRIPTURES. 

1.  Holy  Bible',  book  divine' ; 
Precious  treasure',  thou  art  mine' : 
Mine  to  tell  me  whence  I  came' ; 
Mine  to  teach  me  what  I  am' : 

2.  Mine,  to  chide  me  when  I  rove'; 
Mine,  to  show  a  Savior's  love' : 
Mine  art  thou,  to  guide  my  youth 
In  the  paths  of  love  and  truth' : 

3.  Mine,  to  comfort  in  distress, 
If  the  Holy  Spirit  bless'; 
Mine,  to  show  by  living  faith 
Man  can  triumph  over  death. 


Part  II. 


MOEAL   LESSONS. 


63 


PAET   II. 

MORAL  LESSONS. 


LESSON  I. 

CHAKLIE  PORTER. 

1.  One  day,  while  the  teacher  was  engaged  in  the  school- 
room, he  heard  the  breaking  of  a  pane  of  glass  in  one  of 
the  windows.  He  knew  it  must  have  been  done  by  one 
of  the  children  on  the  play -ground.  He  thought  he  would 
say  nothing  about  it  at  the  time,  but  wait  and  see  if  the 
child  who  did  it  would  come  and  tell  him  of  it. 

2.  After  the  lapse  of  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  Charlie  Por- 
ter, a  little  boy  between  five  and  six  years  of  age,  came  in, 
trembling  with  fear,  and,  going  up  to  the  teacher,  said  to 
him,  "  Sir,  a  little  boy  in  the  play-ground  broke  a  window." 

3.  Here  Charlie  paused,  and  looked  up  to  the  teacher 
as  if  he  did  not  know  what  to  say  next.  The  teacher  took 
his  little  trembling  hand  in  his  own,  and  Charlie  continued, 


64  WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER.  Part  II. 

"  It  was  with  a  stone  he  broke  it,  but  he  did  not  mean  to 
do  it." 

4.  Here  Charlie  made  another  pause,  and  again  looked 
up  to  the  teacher's  face ;  but,  seeing  no  sign  of  severity 
there,  he  took  courage.  "  It  was  I  who  broke  it,"  said  he; 
"  I  am  very  sorry  indeed,  so  I  am." 

5.  The  teacher  kissed  the  child,  and  told  him  he  was  a 
good  boy  for  telling  the  truth.  He  said  to  him,  also,  that 
he  must  be  very  careful  about  throwing  stones.  Charlie 
promised  that  he  would  be,  and  went  away  feeling  very 
happy* 


LESSON  II. 

BE  HONEST,  AND  DARE  TO  TELL  THE  TRUTH. 

1.  One  day  the  children  in  the  play-ground  were  en- 
gaged in  building  a  tower  of  wooden  bricks,  when  sudden- 
ly the  bell  rang  for  them  to  go  into  the  school-room. 

2.  As  soon  as  they  heard  the  bell  they  agreed  that  they 
would  pull  down  the  tower.  So,  taking  hold  of  it  on  all 
sides,  some  pushing  and  others  pulling,  they  gave  a  great 
shout,  and  down  the  tower  fell. 

3.  It  happened  that  Willie  Barton,  one  of  the  little  boys, 
had  a  penny  in  his  hand,  and  when  the  tower  fell  he  drop- 
ped it,  and  it  rolled  away ;  but  another  boy,  John  Brown, 
who  saw  it  rolling,  picked  it  up,  and  put  it  into  his  pocket. 

4.  When  the  children  were  all  seated  in  the  school- 
room, Willie  was  seen  to  be  in  tears.  The  teacher  asked 
him  what  was  the  matter.  He  said  he  had  lost  his  penny. 
Then  another  boy  started  up,  and  said,  "I  think  John 
Brown  has  it,  for  we  saw  him  pick  it  up." 

5.  Now  John  was  a  proud  boy,  and  very  timid  also ; 
and  when  he  was  asked  if  he  had  taken  the  penny,  he  de- 
nied it.     He  had  not  the  courage  to  own  it.     I  do  not  sup- 

*  In  this  case  it  required  much  discretion  on  the  part  of  the  teacher  to  lead  so  young  a 
child  to  accuse  himself  of  what  he  considered  a  serious  fault.  If  he  had  met  with  a  harsh 
reception,  the  good  impulse  might  have  been  checked,  and  the  avowal  not  made ;  and 
perhaps  the  first  step  toward  concealment  of  truth  would  have  been  taken. 


Part  II.  MORAL  LESSONS.  65 

pose  that  when  he  picked  up  the  penny  he  meant  to  steal 
it.  O  no,  I  do  not  think  he  was  so  bad  as  that ;  but  when 
he  had  once  denied  taking  it,  he  was  too  proud  to  confess 
his  fault. 

6.  Then  the  teacher  spoke  kindly  to  him,  and  tried  a 
long  time  to  convince  him  of  his  error,  and  to  induce1  him 
to  own  that  he  had  taken  the  penny.  But  all  was  in  vain. 
John  kept  saying,  "I  didn't  take  it.  I  haven't  got  his 
penny." 

7.  The  teacher  said  that  the  children  themselves  should 
decide  the  matter.  Then  six  boys  and  six  girls  were 
chosen  by  lot  as  a  jury.2  The  teacher  stated  the  case  to 
them.  Those  who  had  seen  John  take  the  penny  told 
what  they  knew  about  it,  and  then  the  jury  retired  to  con- 
sider the  case.  After  a  little  while  they  came  back,  and 
pronounced  a  verdict3  of  guilty. 

8.  Although  poor  John  had  been  able  to  hold  out 
against  the  kind  words  of  his  teacher,  he  could  not  resist 
the  censure4  of  his  schoolmates.  Bursting  into  tears,  he 
handed  the  penny  to  the  teacher,  and,  falling  into  his  arms, 
confessed  the  whole.  All  the  children  were  much  affect- 
ed. John  was  not  punished  by  the  teacher,  for  he  seemed 
very  sorry  for  what  he  had  done ;  and  the  earnest  entreat- 
ies5 of  his  schoolmates,  and  of  Willie  too,  in  his  favor,  only 
made  his  grief  the  deeper. 

9.  Six  months  after  this,  when  the  circumstance  was 
accidentally  mentioned,  John  burst  into  tears.  He  was 
never  again  known  to  resort  to  the  meanness  of  telling  a 
lie.  Although  he  sometimes  did  wrong,  he  had  the  cour- 
age to  confess  it.  When  a  boy  does  wrong,  and  then  tells 
a  lie  to,  conceal  it,  he  not  only  commits  a  sm,  but  he  is  a 
great  coward  also.     Always  dare  to  speak  the  truth. 


>  In-»uce',  persuade. 

2  Ju'-ry,  persona  chosen  to  decide  a  case. 

3  Veb'-dict,  decision. 


*  Cen'-suke  (s&n'-shur),  blame ;  reproof. 
5  En-trEat'-ies,  requests. 


/ 


66  WILLSON's  THIRD  READER.  Paet  II. 


LESSON  III. 

GEORGE  JONES  AND  CHARLES  BARLOW;  OR,  IDLENESS 
AND  INDUSTRY  COMPARED. 

1.  George  Jones  was  an  idle  boy.  He  did  not  love 
study.  The  teacher  of  the  school  often  told  him,  if  he  did 
not  study  diligently1  when  young,  he  would  never  suc- 
ceed well.  Yet  George  would  often  go  to  school  without 
having  made  any  preparation  for  his  morning  lesson ;  and, 
when  called  to  recite,  he  would  make  so  many  blunders 
that  the  rv;st  of  the  class  could  not  help  laughing  at  him. 

2.  At  last  George  went  with  his  class  to  enter  college. 
Though  he  passed  a  very  poor  examination,  he  was  admit- 
ted with  the  rest ;  for  those  who  examined  him  thought  it 
was  possible  that  the  reason  why  he  did  not  answer  ques- 
tions better  was  because  he  was  frightened.  Now  came 
hard  times  for  poor  George.  In  college  there  is  not  much 
mercy  shown  to  bad  scholars ;  and  George  had  neglected 
his  studies  so  long,  that  he  could  not  now  keep  up  with 
his  class,  let  him  try  ever  so  hard. 

3.  George  was  wretched,  of  course.  All  the  good  schol- 
ars avoided2  him ;  they  were  ashamed  to  be  seen  in  his 
company.  He  became  discouraged,  and  gradually  grew 
dissipated.3  The  officers  of  the  college  were  soon  com- 
pelled to  send  him  home.  From  that  time  his  downward 
course  was  rapid.  A  few  months  ago  I  met  him,  and  he 
was  then  a  poor  wanderer,  without  money  and  without 
friends.     Such  are  the  wages  of  Idleness. 

4.  Charles  Barlow  was  a  classmate  of  George.  He  was 
in  the  academy  with  him,  and  he  went  with  him  to  col- 
lege. He  was  about  the  same  age  as  George,  and  did 
not  possess4  superior  talents.  Indeed,  I  doubt  if  he  was 
equal  to  him  in  natural  powers  of  mind. 

5.  But  Charles  was  a  hard  student.  When  quite  young, 
he  was  always  careful  and  diligent  in  school.  Sometimes, 
when  there  was  a  very  hard  lesson,  instead  of  going  out  to 


Part  II.  MOKAL  LESSONS.  67 

play  during  recess,  he  would  stay  in  to  study.  He  had 
resolved  that  his  first  object  should  be  to  get  his  lessons 
well,  and  then  he  could  play  with  a  good  conscience.  He 
loved  play  as  well  as  any  body,  and  was  one  of  the  best 
players  on  the  ground.  I  hardly  ever  saw  any  boy  catch 
a  ball  better  than  he  could.  When  playing  any  game, 
every  one  was  glad  to  get  Charles  on  his  side. 

6.  I  have  said  that  Charles  would  sometimes  stay  in  at 
recess.  This,  however,  was  very  seldom ;  it  was  only 
when  the  lessons  were  very  hard  indeed.  Generally,  he 
was  among  the  first  on  the  play -ground,  and  he  was  also 
among  the  first  to  go  into  school  when  called.  Hard  study 
gave  him  a  relish5  for  play,  and  play  again  gave  him  a 
relish  for  hard  study,  so  he  was  happy  both  in  school  and 
out.  The  teacher  could  not  help  liking  him,  for  he  always 
had  his  lessons  well  committed,6  and  never  gave  him  any 
trouble. 

7.  When  he  went  to  enter  college,  his  teacher  gave  him 
a  good  recommendation.  He  was  able  to  answer  all  the 
questions  which  were  put  to  him  when  he  was  examined. 
He  had  studied  so  well  when  he  was  in  the  academy,  and 
was  so  thoroughly  prepared  for  college,  that  he  found  it 
very  easy  to  keep  up  with  his  class,  and  had  much  time 
for  reading  interesting  books. 

8.  There  was  in  the  college  a  society  made  up  of  all  the 
best  scholars.  Charles  was  chosen  a  member  of  that  so- 
ciety. It  was  the  custom  to  choose  some  one  of  the  so- 
ciety to  deliver  a  public  address  every  year.  This  honor 
was  conferred7  on  Charles;  and  he  had  studied  so  dili- 
gently, and  read  so  much,  that  he  delivered  an  address 
which  was  very  interesting  to  all  who  heard  it. 

9.  At  last  he  graduated,  as  it  is  called ;  that  is,  he  finish- 
ed his  collegiate  course,  and  received  his  degree.  It  was 
known  by  all  that  he  was  a  good  scholar,  and  by  all  that 
he  was  respected.  His  father  and  mother,  brothers  and 
sisters,  came,  on  the  commencement  day,  to  hear  him  speak. 

10.  They  all  felt  gratified,  and  loved  Charles  more  than 


68 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  II. 


ever.  Many  situations  of  usefulness  and  profit  were  open- 
ed to  him,  for  Charles  was  now  an  intelligent  man,  and 
universally  respected.  He  is  still  a  useful  and  a  happy 
man.  He  has  a  cheerful  home,  and  is  esteemed8  by  all 
who  know  him. 

11.  Such  are  the  rewards  of  Industry.  How  strange  it 
is  that  any  person  should  be  willing  to  live  in  idleness, 
when  it  will  certainly  make  him  unhappy !  The  idle  boy 
is  almost  invariably  poor  and  miserable :  the  industrious 
boy  is  happy  and  prosperous. 


i  Dil'-i-gent-ly,  industriously. 

2  A-void'-ed,  kept  away  from. 

3  Dis'-si-pa-ted,  intemperate ;  accustomed 
to  strong  drink. 

*  PSs-sesb',  have. 


5  Rel'-isii,  fondness  for. 

6  €om-mit'-ted,  learned. 

7  eoN-FEEE'ED,  bestowed. 

8  Es-teem'ed,  respected. 


LESSON  IV, 

THREE  LESSONS  OF  INDUSTRY. 


The  Oak  that  from  the    The  Boy  that  became  a  wise 
acorn  grew.  and  a  useful  man. 


The  Island  built  by  coral 
insects. 


1.  How  very  small  is  the  little  plant  that  springs  up 
from  the  acorn,1  and  how  slowly  it  grows!  and  yet,  by 
growing  a  little  each  day,  and  year  by  year,  it  finally  be- 


Part  II.  MORAL  LESSONS.  69 

comes  a  mighty  oak ;  and  the  birds  sing  in  its  branches, 
and  many  cattle  repose2  in  its  shade. 

2.  There  are  little  coral  insects  that  begin  to  work  way 
down  on  the  bottom  of  the  ocean :  they  bnild  there  cell 
after  cell,  one  upon  another,  like  little  grains  of  sand.  But 
day  by  day,  and  year  by  year,  these  little  insects  keep 
cheerfully  toiling3  on,  never  stopping  to  rest  or  to  play, 
until,  at  length,  their  rocky  dwellings  reach  above  the 
water ;  and  in  this  way  beautiful  islands  are  formed,  and 
men  go  and  dwell  upon  them. 

3.  "  Little  by  little,  and  lesson  after  lesson,  I  will  gather 
up  the  knowledge  which  I  find  in  books,  and  in  the  world 
around  me,"  said  a  thoughtful  boy.  And  by  learning  a 
little  every  day,  and  learning  it  well,  he  became,  at  length, 
a  wise  and  a  useful  man,  honored  and  respected  by  all  who 
knew  him.  Here  are  these  three  lessons  of  industry  in 
verse : 

LITTLE  BY  LITTLE. 

1.  "Little  by  little,"  an  acorn  said, 
As  it  slowly  sank  in  its  mossy  bed, 
"I  am  improving  every  day, 
Hidden  deep  in  the  earth  away." 
Little  by  little  each  day  it  grew ; 
Little  by  little  it  sipped  the  dew ; 
Downward  it  sent  out  a  thread-like  root ; 
Up  in  the  air  sprung  a  tiny4  shoot. 

Day  after  day,  and  year  after  year, 

Little  by  little,  the  leaves  appear ; 

And  the  slender  branches  spread  far  and  wide, 

Till  the  mighty  oak  is  the  forest's  pride. 

2.  Far  down  in  the  depths  of  the  dark  blue  sea 
An  insect  train  work  ceaselessly  ;5 

'  Grain  by  grain,  they  are  building  well, 
Each  one  alone  in  its  little  cell ; 
Moment  by  moment,  and  day  by  day, 
Never  stopping  to  rest  or  to  play. 
Rocks  upon  rocks  they  are  rearing6  high, 
Till  the  top  looks  out  on  the  sunny  sky ; 
The  gentle  wind  and  the  balmy7  air, 
Little  by  little,  bring  verdure8  there ; 
Till  the  summer  sunbeams  gayly  smile 
On  the  buds  and  flowers  of  the  coral  isle. 


70  WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER.  Part  II. 

3.    "Little  by  little,"  said  a  thoughtful  boy, 
"Moment  by  moment,  I'll  well  employ, 
Learning  a  little  every  day, 
And  not  spending  all  my  time  in  play. 
And  still  this  rule  in  my  mind  shall  dwell, 
1  Whatever  I  do,  I  Will  do  it  well.' 
Little  by  little,  I'll  learn  to  know 
The  treasured9  wisdom  of  long  ago ; 
And  one  of  these  days  perhaps  we'll  see 
That  the  world  will  be  the  better  for  me." 
And  do  not  you  think  that  this  simple  plan 
Made  him  a  wise  and  a  useful  man  ? 

1  a'-€Oen,  the  seed  or  fruit  of  the  oak.  I  6  Reab'-ing,  building  up. 

2  Re-po*e',  rest.  i  Balm'-y,  mild. 

3  ToiiZ-ing,  laboring ;  working.  s  Vebd'-Cbe,  greenness ;  freshness  of  vege- 

4  Ti'-ny,  or  Tin'y,  little ;  very  small.  tation. 

5  Cease'-less-ly,  constantly.  |  a  Tbeas'-ubed,  collected. 


LESSON  Y. 

ROBERT  BRUCE  AND  TIMOUR  THE  TARTAR. 

1.  The  famous  Eobert  Bruce  of  Scotland,  having  been 
defeated  in  battle,  was  obliged  to  hide  himself  sometimes 
in  woods,  and  sometimes  in  the  huts  of  poor  peasants ;  for 
his  enemies  were  in  pursuit  of  him,  and  determined  to  kill 
him  if  they  could  find  him. 

2.  One  morning,  after  a  sleepless  night  of  anxiety,1  as 
he  was  lying  on  a  heap  of  straw  in  a  deserted  hut,  reflect- 
ing2 upon  his  misfortunes,  and  nearly  discouraged,3  he  saw 
a  spider  trying  to  swing  himself  by  his  thread  from  one 
beam  of  the  roof  to  another.  He  failed,  and  the  thread 
swung  back  to  its  former  position.  He  made  another  ef- 
fort, fell  back  again,  but  immediately  renewed4  the  attempt. 

3.  The  attention  of  Bruce  was  now  fully  aroused,  and 
nis  feelings  enlisted6  for  the  success  of  the  little  insect. 
Again  and  again  the  little  creature  failed,  but  as  often  re- 
newed the  attempt  with  unabated6  energy,  and,  after  thir- 
teen unsuccessful  efforts,  succeeded  in  the  fourteenth  in 
reaching  the  desired  position. 

4.  The  lesson  of  perseverance  taught  by  the  spider 
roused  the  desponding7  hero  to  new  exertion.8    He  went 


Part  II. 


MORAL   LESSONS. 


71 


forth  from  his  hiding-place,  collected  his  friends,  defeated 
his  enemies  in  a  great  and  decisive  battle,  and  was  soon 
after  crowned  king  of  Scotland. 

5.  A  similar  story  is  told  of  Timour  the  Tartar.  This 
famous  Asiatic  chief,  having  once  taken  shelter  from  his 
enemies  in  a  lone  building,  saw  a  little  ant  try  to  carry  a 
grain  of  wheat,  larger  than  itself,  up  a  high  wall.  Sixty- 
nine  times  did  Timour  see  the  grain  fall  to  the  ground, 
but  at  the  next  effort  the  ant  carried  off  the  prize.  "  I 
was  in  despair,"  said  the  chief,  "but  the  sight  gave  me 
new  courage,  and  I  have  never  forgotten  the  noble  lesson 
which  it  taught  me."  There  is  an  old  proverb  which  says, 
"  Perseverance  conquers  all  things." 


1  Anx-i'-e-ty,  anxious  or  troubled  care. 

2  Re-flect'-ing,  thinking. 

3  Di8-€oub'-a«ed,  dejected ;  disheartened. 

4  Ke-newed',  began  anew. 


5  En-list'-ed,  called  forth ;  engaged. 

6  Un-a-bat'-ed,  undiminished. 

7  De-sp5nd'-ing,  despairing. 

8  Ex-eb'-tion,  (egz-er'-zhun),  effort. 


LESSON  VI. 

THE  BOY  WHO  WAS  TOLD  TO  TRY  AGAIN. 

1.  "Will  you  give  my  kite  a  lift'?"  said  my  little 
nephew  to  his  sister,  after  trying  in  vain  to  make  it  fly  by 
dragging  it  along  the  ground.  Lucy  very  kindly  took  it 
up  and  threw  it  into  the  air,  but,  her  brother  neglecting  to 
run  off  at  the  same  moment,  the  kite  fell  down  again. 

2.  "  Ah !  now,  how  awkward  you  are !"  said  the  little 
fellow.  "It  was  your  fault  entirely,"  answered  his  sister. 
"  Try  again,  children,"  said  I. 

3.  Lucy  once  more  took  up  the  kite;  but  now  John 
was  in  too  great  a  hurry ;  he  ran  off  so  suddenly  that  he 
twitched  it  out  of  her  hand,  and  the  kite  fell  flat  as  be- 
fore. "  Well,  who  is  to  blame  now  ?"  asked  Lucy.  "  Try 
again,"  said  I. 

4.  They  did,  and  with  more  care ;  but  a  side-wind  com- 
ing suddenly,  as  Lucy  let  go  the  kite,  it  was  blown  against 
some  shrubs,  and  the  tail  got  entangled  in  a  moment,  leav- 
ing the  poor  kite  with  its  head  hanging  downward. 


72  WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Paet  II. 

5.  "  There !  there !"  exclaimed  John,  "  that  comes  of  jour 
throwing  it  all  to  one  side."  "  As  if  I  could  make  the 
wind  blow  straight,"  said  Lucy.  In  the  mean  time,  I  went 
to  the  kite's  assistance,  and,  having  disengaged  the  long 
tail,  I  rolled  it  up,  saying,  "  Come,  children,  there  are  too 
many  trees  here ;  let  us  rind  a  more  open  space,  and  then 

TRY  AGAIN." 

6.  We  presently  found  a  nice  grass-plot,  at  one  side  of 
which  I  took  my  stand ;  and  all  things  being  prepared,  I 
tossed  the  kite  up  just  as  little  John  ran  off.  It  rose  with 
all  the  dignity  of  a  balloon,  and  promised  a  lofty  flight; 
but  John,  delighted  to  find  it  pulling  so  hard  at  the  string, 
stopped  short  to  look  up  and  admire.  The  string  slack- 
ened, the  kite  tottered,  and,  the  wind  not  being  very  favor- 
able, down  came  the  kite  to  the  grass.  "  Oh,  John,  you 
should  not  have  stopped,"  said  I.    "However,  try  again." 

7.  "  I  won't  try  any  more,"  replied  he,  rather  sullenly. 
"  It  is  of  no  use,  you  see.  The  kite  won't  fly,  and  I  don't 
want  to  be  plagued  with  it  any  longer."  "Oh  fie,  my 
little  man !  would  you  give  up  the  sport,  after  all  the  pains 
we  have  taken  both  to  make  and  to  fly  the  kite  ?  A  few 
disappointments  ought  not  to  discourage  us.  Come,  I  have 
wound  up  your  string,  and  now  TRY  AGAIN." 

8.  And  he  did  try,  and  succeeded,  for  the  kite  was  car- 
ried up  on  the  breeze  as  lightly  as  a  feather;  and  when 
the  string  was  all  out,  John  stood  in  great  delight,  holding 
fast  the  stick,  and  gazing  on  the  kite,  which  now  seemed 
as  a  little  white  speck  in  the  blue  sky.  "Look,  look, 
aunt,  how  high  it  flies  \  and  it  pulls  like  a  team  of  horses, 
so  that  I  can  hardly  hold  it.  I  wish  I  had  a  mile  of  string; 
I  am  sure  it  would  go  to  the  end  of  it." 

9.  After  enjoying  the  sight  as  long  as  he  pleased,  little 
John  proceeded  to  roll  up  the  string  slowly ;  and  when 
the  kite  fell,  he  took  it  up  with  great  glee,  saying  that  it 
was  not  at  all  hurt,  and  that  it  had  behaved  very  well. 
"  Shall  we  come  out  to-morrow,  aunt,  after  lessons,  and  try 

AGAIN?" 


Part  II.  MORAL  LESSONS.  73 

10.  "I  have  no  objection,  my  dear,  if  the  weather  is  fine. 
And  now,  as  we  walk  home,  tell  me  what  you  have  learn- 
ed from  your  morning's  sport."  "  I  have  learned  to  fly 
my  kite  properly."  "You  may  thank  aunt  for  it,  broth- 
er," said  Lucy,  "  for  you  would  have  given  it  up  long  ago 
if  she  had  not  persuaded  you  to  tey  again." 

11.  "Yes,  my  dear  children,  I  wish  to  teach  you  the 
value  of  perseverance,  even  when  nothing  more  depends 
upon  it  than  the  flying  of  a  kite.  Whenever  you  fail  in 
your  attempts  to  do  any  good  thing,  let  your  motto  be, 

Charlotte  Elizabeth. 


LESSON  VII. 

TRY  AGAIN. 

1.  'Tis  a  lesson  you  should  heed — 

Try  again ; 
If  at  first  you  don't  succeed, 

Try  again ; 
Let  your  courage  then  appear,  * 
For,  if  you  will  persevere, 
You  will  conquer,  never  fear; 

Try  again. 

2.  Once  or  twice  though  you  should  fail, 

Try  again ; 
If  you  would  at  last  prevail, 

Try  again ; 
If  we  strive,  'tis  no  disgrace 
Though  we  do  not  win  the  race. 
What  should  we  do  in  that  case  ? 

Try  again. 

3.  If  you  find  your  task  is  hard, 

Try  again ; 
Time  will  bring  you  your  reward ; 
Try  again ; 
D 


74  WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER.  Part  II. 

All  that  other  folk  can  do, 
Why,  with  patience,  may  not  you  ? 
Only  keep  this  rule  in  view — 
Try  again. 


LESSON  VIII. 

STORY  OF  JOHN  MARTIN ;  OR,  HONESTY  IS  THE  BEST 
POLICY. 

1.  When  John  Martin  was  about  thirteen  years  old,  he 
left  his  paternal1  roof,  in  the  north  of  New  Jersey,  and 
went  to  Philadelphia  to  learn  a  trade.  He  entered  as  an 
apprentice  with  his  brother,  a  coachmaker  in  the  northern 
part  of  the  city. 

2.  On  a  certain  occasion  he  was  sent  to  a  drug-store  for 
a  half  gallon  of  oil.  He  had  frequently  been  sent  on  a 
similar  errand,  and  had  been  accustomed  to  pay  twenty- 
five  cents  for  the  oil.  But  it  happened  that  oil  had  fallen, 
and  the  price  on  the  present  occasion  was  only  twenty 
cents,  of  which,  howaver,  he  was  not  informed. 

3.  He  had  taken  with  him,  to  pay  for  the  oil,  a  one  dol- 
lar note,  and,  having  obtained  the  article,  he  presented  the 
note,  and  received  in  change — not,  as  he  expected,  three 
quarters  of  a  dollar,  but  four  Spanish  pieces,  worth  twenty 
cents  each.  John  was  ignorant  of  their  value,  but  sup- 
posed they  were  quarters  of  a  dollar,  and  that  the  drug- 
gist, by  mistake,  had  given  him  four  instead  of  three. 

4.  He  had  been  taught  when  a  child  to  be  honest.  He 
knew  that  he  ough^Jpo  to  others  as  he  would  have  oth- 
ers do  to  him,  and  that  it  was  as  dishonest  to  take  advant- 
age of  another's  mistake  to  take  what  was  not  his  own,  as 
to  cheat  in  any  other  way.  His  first  impulse,  therefore, 
was  to  return  one  of  the  pieces  to  the  man ;  but,  before  he 
had  time  to  carry  out  his  feelings  into  practice,  the  thought 
occurred  to  him  that  he  would  give  three  of  them  to  his 
brother,  as  the  right  change,  and  keep  the  fourth  for  him- 
self. 


Pakt  II.  MORAL   LESSONS.  7o 

5.  He  closed  his  hand  upon  the  money,  picked  up  his 
jug,  and  left  the  store.  He  stopped,  however,  upon  the 
step,  and  looked  at  his  money.  There  were  certainly  four 
pieces,  and  he  should  have  but  three.  Conscience  began 
to  reprove  him,  but  selfishness  got  the  mastery.  The  lat- 
ter pleaded  the  hardest;  and,  fearing  lest  the  druggist' 
should  discover  his  mistake  and  recall  him,  John  hurried 
off  homeward,  thinking  of  his  good  fortune. 

6.  The  jug  in  which  he  carried  the  oil  had  no  handle, 
and  he  was  forced  to  carry  it  by  a  string  tied  around  its 
neck.  This  so  cut  his  fingers  that,  after  changing  it  from 
one  hand  to  the  other  several  times,  he  was  compelled  to 
stop  at  the  distance  of  a  square  and  rest. 

7.  Setting  down  the  oil,  and  seating  himself  upon  a  step, 
he  took  out  his  supposed  quarters  of  a  dollar  to  convince 
himself  there  was  one  too  many.  But,  although  he  con- 
gratulated2 himself  on  his  good  fortune,  John's  heart  was 
not  at  ease. 

8.  He  knew  he  should  have  returned  one  of  the  pieces 

to  Mr.  W ,  the  store-keeper ;  that  in  keeping  it  he  was 

acting  dishonestly,  and  that  he  ought  still  to  turn  back 
and  correct  his  mistake.  But  cupidity3  was  as  busy  as 
conscience,  and  soon  framed  a  number  of  good  reasons 
why  the  fourth  piece  of  money  was  properly  and  lawfully 
his. 

9.  He  reasoned  thus :  The  druggist  ought  not  to  have 
made  the  mistake,  and  would  justly  lose  by  his  careless- 
ness.    To  Mr.  W a  quarter  of  a  dollar  was  but  a  trifle, 

and  would  never  be  missed,  while  to  him  it  was  a  large 
amount. 

10.  Besides,  it  was  now  too  l§te  to  return.  If  he  did, 
he  would  probably  be  censured4  for  not  returning  at  first ; 
and  then  he  would  be  losing  too  much  time,  and  displease 
his  brother.  How  strangely  people  will  balance  the  account 
of  their  sins,  by  making  the  omission  of  one  atone5  for  the 
commission  of  another  I  John  entirely  convinced  himself 
that  he  would  be  wronging  his  brother  of  his  valuable 


76  WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Part  II. 

time  by  returning  to  rectify  so  trifling  a  mistake.     He 
proceeded  on  his  way. 

11.  But  by  the  time  he  reached  a  second  corner,  his 
conscience,  as  well  as  his  jug,  began  to  be  very  heavy  again. 
He  again  sat  down  to  rest,  and  endeavored  to  settle  the 
dispute  between  his  principles  and  his  desires.  He  again 
went  on  his  way,  determined  to  keep  the  money,  but  by 
no  means  satisfied  that  he  was  doing  right. 

12.  The  next  corner  brought  John  a  third  time  to  a 
stand.  Kest  relieved  the  smartings  of  his  hands,  but  the 
cuttings  of  his  conscience  were  not  so  easily  removed.  He 
meditated  some  minutes.  Conscience  now  became  urgent 
in  its  demands.     But  he  was  ashamed  to  go  back. 

13.  He  wished  he  had  obeyed  his  first  honest  impulse. 
He  felt  very  unhappy.  But  he  must  not  delay.  He  had 
already  been  a  great  while  about  his  errand.  He  took  up 
his  jug.  He  was  undecided  whether  to  go  forward  or  to 
return.  He  stood  one  moment  and  determined — to  go 
back. 

14.  It  was  a  hard  task  to  trudge  back  three  long  squares 
with  a  heavy  jug  without  a  handle,  and  more  than  once 
he  had  almost  determined  to  give  up  his  honest  resolution. 
But  he  persevered,  reached  the  store,  and  set  down  his 
load.     "  You  have  given  me  too  much  change,"  said  he, 

presenting  the  four  Spanish  pieces  to  Mr.  W ;  "you 

have  given  me  four  quarters  of  a  dollar  instead  of  three." 

15.  "  And  how  far  had  you  gone  before  you  discovered 
the  mistake^?"  said  Mr.  W .  This  was  a  hard  ques- 
tion ;  for  John  had  made  the  discovery  before  he  left  the 
store,  and  he  now  imagined6  that  the  druggist  was  ac- 
quainted with  the  whole  circumstance.     But  such  was  not 

the  fact.     Mr.  W knew  that,  from  the  time  John  had 

been  gone,  he  must  have  got  some  distance,  and  he  wished 
to  know  how  far. 

16.  Supposing  from  his  silence  that  he  did  not  under- 
stand him,  he  repeated  the  question  in  another  shape.  "  I 
say,  how  far,  my  boy,  have  you  been  since  you  were  here?" 


Pakt  II.  MORAL   LESSONS.  77 

John  recovered  from  his  embarrassment.  "  To  Callow- 
hill  Street,  sir." 

17.  "  You  think  there  is  a  quarter  too  much,  do  you? 
"Well,  you  may  have  that  for  your  honesty." 

John  thanked  him,  and,  putting  the  money  into  his 
pocket,  without  suspecting  the  joke,  he  resumed7  his  bur- 
den8 with  feelings  far  different  from  those  that  had  filled 
his  bosom  half  an  hour  before. 

18.  As  he  was  about  leaving  the  store,  "  Stop,  my  man," 

said  Mr.  W ;  "I  will  not  deceive  you.     You  have 

your  right  change.  The  oil  is  twenty  cents,  and  those 
four  pieces  are  not  quarters  of  a  dollar ;  they  are  twenty 
cent  pieces. 

19.  "Here  is  a  quarter,"  continued  the  benevolent9  store 
keeper,  taking  one  from  his  drawer,  "which  I  will  give 
you.  You  can  notice  the  difference  between  them  as  you 
go  home ;  and  let  me  advise  you  always  to  deal  as  honest- 
ly as  you  have  to-day." 

20.  Who  can  imagine  the  feelings  of  the  boy  when  he 
saw  the  real  state  of  the  matter,  and  knew  in  an  instant 
that,  if  he  had  persevered  in  his  sinful  project,  he  must, 
from  the  very  nature  of  the  circumstances,  have  been  dis- 
covered? "If  I  had  carried  out  my  first  intention,"  said 
he  to  me,  when  he  related  the  anecdote,  "  I  should  have 
handed  my  brother  only  three  of  the  Spanish  pieces. 

21.  "  He  would,  of  course,  have  asked  for  the  balance, 
and  I  should  have  been  driven  to  add  falsehood  to  my 
crime  by  saying  that  was  all  he  gave  me.  In  all  proba- 
bility, I  should  have  been  detected,  and  sent  back  to  my 
father  in  disgrace.  It  would  have  stamped  my  character 
with  dishonesty,  from  which  I  might  never  have  recover- 
ed." As  it  was,  he  picked  up  his  jug,  and  with  a  light 
heart  and  rapid  step  proceeded  up  the,  street. 

22.  He  was  so  rejoiced  at  the  happy  result,  and  so 
thankful  for  his  preservation,  that  he  set  out  on  a  run,  and 
did  not  feel  the  string  cut  his  fingers  till  he  reached  the 
third  corner,  where  he  had  resolved  upon  returning  to  the 


78 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  II. 


store.  During  thirty-five  years  that  he  lived  after  this 
event,  he  never  forgot  the  lesson  it  taught  him;  and 
throughout  his  life,  in  private  business  and  in  public  office, 
he  ever  acted  under  the  firm  conviction  that  "  honesty  is 
the  best  policy." 


His  pa-ter'-nal,  his  father's. 

t'ON-QBAT'-U-LA-TED  HIMSELF,  rejoiced. 

Cu-pid'-i-ty,  desire  of  gain. 
Cen'-subed    (sen'-s/iura),    blamed;    re- 
proved. 


s  A -tone',  make  up  for ;  compensate  for. 

6  Im-ag'-Tned,  thought. 

7  Re-sumed',  took  up  again. 

8  Bub'-den,  load. 

9  Be-nev'-o-lent,  kind. 


LESSON  IX. 

THE  FIRST  TEMPTATION. 

1.  One  Saturday  evening,  when  Susan  went,  as  usual, 
to  Farmer  Thompson's  inn  to  receive  the  price  of  her  moth- 
er's washing  for  the  boarders,  which  amounted  to  five  dol- 
lars, she  found  the  farmer  in  the  stable-yard. 

2.  He  was  apparently  in  a  terrible  rage  with  some  horse- 
dealers,  with  whom  he  had  been  bargaining.  He  held  in 
his  hand  an  open  pocket-book  full  of  notes ;  and,  scarcely 
noticing  the  child  as  she  made  her  request,  except  to  swear 
at  her,  as  usual,  for  troubling  him  when  he  was  busy,  he 
handed  her  a  bank-note. 

8.  Glad  to  escape  so  easily,  Susan  hurried  out  of  the 
gate,  and  then,  pausing  to  pin  the  money  safely  in  the  folds 
of  her  shawl,  she  discovered  that  he  had  given  her  two  bills 
instead  of  one.  She  looked  around ;  nobody  was  near  to 
share  her  discovery ;  and  her  first  impulse  was  joy  at  the 
unexpected  prize. 

4.  "It  is  mine — all  mine"  said  she  to  herself;  "I  will 
buy  mother  a  new  cloak  with  it,  and  she  can  give  her  old 
one  to  sister  Mary,  and  then  Mary  can  go  to  the  Sunday- 
school  with  me  next  winter.  I  wonder  if  it  will  not  buy 
a  pair  of  shoes  for  brother  Tom  too  ?" 

5.  At  that  moment  she  remembered  that  he  must  have 
given  it  to  her  by  mistake,  and  therefore  she  had  no  right 
to  it.     But  again  the  voice  of  the  tempter  whispered,  "  He 


Part  II.  MORAL   LESSONS.  79 

gave  it,  and  how  do  you  know  that  he  did  not  intend  to 
make  you  a  present  of  it  ?  Keep  it ;  he  will  never  know 
it,  even  if  it  should  be  a  mistake,  for  he  had  too  many 
such  bills  in  that  great  pocket-book  to  miss  one." 

6.  While  this  conflict  was  going  on  .in  her  mind  be- 
tween good  and  evil,  she  was  hurrying  home  as  fast  as  pos- 
sible. Yet,  before  she  came  in  sight  of  her  home,  she  had 
repeatedly  balanced  the  comforts  which  the  money  would 
buy  against  the  sin  of  wronging  rher  neighbor. 

7.  As  she  crossed  the  little  bridge,  over  the  narrow 
creek,  before  her  mother's  door,  her  eye  fell  upon  a  rustic 
seat  which  she  and  her  mother  had  often  occupied,  and 
where,  only  the  day  before,  her  mother  had  explained  to 
her  these  words  of  Scripture :  "  Whatsoever  ye  would  that 
men  should  do  to  you,  do  you  even  so  to  them." 

8.  Startled,  as  if  a  trumpet  had  sounded  in  her  ears,  she 
turned  suddenly  round,  and,  as  if  flying  from  some  unseen 
peril,  hastened  along  the  road  with  breathless  speed,  until 
she  found  herself  once  more  at  Farmer  Thompson's  gate. 
"What  do  you  want  now?"  asked  the  gruff  old"  fellow,  as 
he  saw  her  again  at  his  side. 

9.  "  Sir',  you  paid  me  two  bills  instead  of  one,"  said  she, 
trembling  in  every  limb.  "  Two  bills',  did  I'?  let  me  see; 
well,  so  I  did;  but  did  you  just  find  it  out'?  Why  did 
not  you  bring  it  back  sooner^  ?"  Susan  blushed  and  hung 
her  head. 

10.  "  You  wanted  to  keep  it,  I  suppose,"  said  he.  "Well, 
I  am  glad  your  mother  was  more  honest  than  you,  or  I 
should  have  been  five  dollars  poorer,  and  none  the  wiser." 
"  My  mother  knows  nothing  about  it,  sir,"  said  Susan ;  "  I 
brought  it  back  before  I  went  home." 

11.  The  old  man  looked  at  the  child,  and,  as  he  saw  the 
tears  rolling  down  her  cheeks,  he  seemed  touched  by  her 
distress.  Putting  his  hand  in  his  pocket,  he  drew  out  a 
shilling  and  offered  it  to  her. 

12.  "  No,  sir,  I  thank  you,"  sobbed  she ;  "  I  do  not  want 
to  be  paid  for  doing  right ;  I  only  wish  you  would  not 


80  WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Part  II. 

think  me  dishonest,  for,  indeed,  it  was  a  great  temptation. 
O !  sir,  if  you  had  ever  seen  those  you  love  best  wanting 
the  common  comforts  of  life,  you  would  know  how  hard 
it  is  for  us  always  to  do  unto  others  as  we  would  have 
others  do  unto  us." 

13.  The  heart  of  the  selfish  man  was  touched.  "  There 
be  things  which  are  little  upon  the  earth,  but  they  are  ex- 
ceeding wise"  murmured  he,  as  he  bade  the  little  girl  good- 
night, and  entered  his  house  a  sadder,  and,  it  is  to  be  hoped, 
a  better  man.  Susan  returned  to  her  home  with  a  light- 
ened heart,  and,  through  the  course  of  a  long  and  useful 

life  she  never  forgot  her  first  temptation. 

Mrs.  Embury. 


LESSON  X. 

HOW  BIG  WAS  ALEXANDER  ? 

[Alexander  of  Macedon,  a  famous  general,  and  conqueror  of  many  na- 
tions, was  called  "  Alexander  the  Great"  on  account  of  his  great  achieve- 
ments. Aft^r  conquering  Persia,  he  died  at  Babylon  in  the  year  324  be- 
fore the  Christian  era.] 

1.  Son.    How  big  was  Alexander,  pa', 

That  people  call  him  greatx  ? 
Was  he,  like  old  Goliah,  tall'  ? 

His  spear  a  hundred  weight'  ? 
Was  he  so  large  that  he  could  stand 

Like  some  tall  steeple  high ; 
And  while  his  feet  were  on  the  ground, 

His  hands  could  touch  the  sky'? 

2.  Fath.  O  no,  my  childr :  about  as  large 

As  I  or  Uncle  James\ 
'Twas  not  his  stature  made  him  great, 
But  greatness  of  his  name*. 

3.  Son.     His  name  so  great'?     I  know  'tis  long, 

But  easy  quite  to  spell ; 
And  more  than  half  a  year  ago 
I  knew  it.  very  well. 


Part  II.  MORAL  LESSONS.  81 

4.  Fath.  I  mean,  my  child,  his  actions  were 

So  great,  he  got  a  name, 
That  every  body  speaks  with  praise, 
That  tells  about  his  fame. 

5.  Son.    Well,  what  great  actions  did  he  dox  ? 

I  want  to  know  it  all. 

6.  Fath.  Why,  he  it  was  that  conquered  Tyre, 

And  leveled  down  her  wall, 
And  thousands  of  her  people  slew ; 

And  then  to  Persia  went, 
And  fire  and  sword  on  every  side 

Through  many  a  region  sent. 
A  hundred  conquered  cities  shone 

With  midnight  burnings  red ; 
And  strewed  o'er  many  a  battle-ground 

A  thousand  soldiers  bled. 

7.  Son.    Did  killing  people  make  him  great'  ? 

Then  why  was  Abdel  Young, 
Who  killed  his  neighbor,  training  day, 

Put  into  jail  and  hungr  ? 
I  never  heard  them  call  him  great'. 

8.  Fath.  Why,  no\  'twas  not  in  war* ; 

And  him  that  kills  a  single  man, 
His  neighbors  all  abhor. 

9.  Son.    Well,  then,  if  I  should  kill  a  man, 

I'd  kill  a  hundred  more ; 
I  should  be  great,  and  not  get  hung, 
Like  Abdel  Young,  before. 

10.  Fath.  Not  so,  my  child,  'twill  never  dor : 

The  Gospel  bids  be  kind. 

11.  Son.    Then  they  that  kill  and  they  that  praise^ 

The  Gospel  do  not  mind. 

12.  Fath.  You  know,  my  child,  the  Bible  says 

That  you  must  always  do 
D2 


82  WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER.  Rart  II. 

To  other  people,  as  you  wish 
To  have  them  do  to  you. 

13.  Son.    But,  pa',  did  Alexander  wish 

That  some  strong  man  would  come 
And  burn  his  house,  and  kill  him  too, 

And  do  as  he  had  done'  ? 
Does  every  body  call  him  great, 

For  killing  people  so'  ? 
Well,  now,  what  right  he  had  to  kill, 

I  should  be  glad  to  know. 
If  one  should  burn  the  buildings  here, 

And  kill  the  folks  within, 
Would  any  body  call  him  great 

For  such  a  wicked  thing'  ?         Rev.  e.  Jones. 


LESSON  XI. 

EARTHLY  AND  HEAVENLY  INTEREST. 

1.  Ben  Adam  had  a  golden  coin  one  day', 

Which  he  put  at  interest  with  a  Jew' ; 
Year  after  year,  awaiting  him',  it  lay', 

Until  the  doubled  coin  two  pieces  grew', 
And  these  two  fourv — so  on,  till  people  said, 

"How  rich  Ben  Adam  isM"  and  bowed  the  servile 
head. 

2.  Ben  Selim  had  a  golden  coin  that  day 

Which  to  a  stranger,  asking  alms,  he  gave', 
Who  went  rejoicing  on  his  unknown  way' — 

Ben  Selim  died,  too  poor  to  own  a  grave' ; 
But  when  his  soul  reached  heaven',  angels  with  pride 

Showed  him  the  wealth  to  which  his  coin  had  mul- 
tiplied. 


With  all  thy  soul  love  God  above, 
And  as  thyself  thy  neighbor  love. 


Part  II. 


MORAL   LESSONS. 


83 


LESSON  XII. 


THE  TWO  ROBBERS. 
Alexander  the  Great — Robber. 

Alexander.  What*  !a  art  thou  that  Thracian  robber,  of 
whose  exploits1  I  have  heard  so  much'  ? 

Robber.  I  am  a  Thracian',  and  a  soldier\ 

Alexander.  A  soldier*  !a — a  thief  *,  a  plunderer*,  an  assas- 
sin* !2b  the  pest3  of  the  country* !  I  could  honor  thy  cour- 
age*, but  I  must  detest  and  punish  thy  crimes\ 

Bobber.  What  have  I  done  of  which  you  can  com- 
plain* ?c 

Alexander.  Hast  thou  not  set  at  defiance  my  authority', 
violated4  the  public  peace',  and  passed  thy  life  in  injuring 
the  persons  and  properties  of  thy  fellow-subjects'  ?d 

Robber.  Alexander', e  I  am  your  captive*..  I  must  hear 
what  you  please  to  say*,  and  endure  what  you  please  to  in- 
flict*. But  my  soul  is  unconquered* ;  and  if  I  reply  at  all 
to  your  reproaches',5  I  will  reply  like  a  free*  man. 

Alexander.  Speak  freely.     Far  be  it  from  me  to  take 


84  WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER.  Part  II. 

the  advantage  of  my  power  to  silence  those  witti  whom  I 
deign6  to  converse. 

Robber.  I  must  then  answer  your  question  by  another. 
How  have  you  passed  yours  HfeK  ?e 

Alexander.  Like  a  hero.  Ask  Fame,  and  she  will  tell  you. 
Among  the  brave',  I  have  been  the  bravest* ;  among  sover- 
eigns', the  noblest ;  among  conquerors',  the  mightiest*. f 

Bobber,  And  does  not  Fame  speak  of  me,  too'  ?  Was 
there  ever  a  bolder  captain  of  a  more  valiant  band'?  Was 
there  ever — but  I  scorn  to  boast\  You  yourself  know 
that  I  have  not  been  easily  subdued. 

Alexander.  Still,  what  are  you  but  a  robber — a  base,  dis- 
honest robber*  ? 

Bobber.  And  what  is  a  conqueror*  ?  Have  not  you,  too, 
gone  about  the  earth  like  an  evil  genius,  blasting  the  fair 
fruits  of  peace  and  industry' ;  plundering,  ravaging,  kill- 
ing, without  law,  without  justice,  merely  to  gratify  an  in- 
satiable7 lust  for  dominion'  ?d  All  that  I  have  done  to  a 
single  district  with  a  hundred  followers',  you  have  done  to 
whole  nations  with  a  hundred  thousand*/ 

If  I  have  stripped  individuals',  you  have  ruined  kings 
and  princes*.  If  I  have  burned  a  few  hamlets',  you  have 
desolated  the  most  flourishing  kingdoms  and  cities  of  the 
earth*.f  What  is,  then,  the  difference,  but  that,  as  you 
were  born  a  king',  and  I  a  private  man,  you*  have  been  able 
to  become  a  migntier  robber  than  P  ? 

Alexander.  But  if  I  have  taken  like  a  king',  I  have  given 
like  a  king\  If  I  have  subverted8  empires',  I  have  found- 
ed greater\  I  have  cherished9  arts',  commerce',  and  phi- 
losophy\ 

Bobber.  I,  too,  have  freely  given  to  the  poor  what  I  took 
from  the  rich.  I  have  established  order  and  discipline 
among  the  most  ferocious  of  mankind,  and  have  stretched 
out  my  protecting  arm  over  the  oppressed.  I  know,  in- 
deed, little  of  the  philosophy  you  talk  of;  but  I  believe 
neither  you  nor  I  shall  ever  atone10  to  the  world  for  the 
mischief  we  have  done  it. 


Part  II.  MORAL   LESSONS.  85 

Alexander.  Leave  mer ;  take  off  his  chains\  and  use  him 
well\  Are  we,  then,  so  much  alike'?  Alexander  like  a 
robber'  ?     Let  me  reflect  Dr.  Aikin. 


1  Ex-ploits',  deeds  ;  great  achievements. 

2  As-sas'-sin,  a  secret  murderer. 

3  Pest,  great  annoyance. 

4  Vi'-o-la-ted,  disturbed.  [tempt. 

5  Re-proacii',  censure  mingled  with  con- 


6  Deign,  condescend. 

7  In-sa'-tia-ble,  unsatisfied. 

8  Sitb-vert'-ed,  overthrown. 

9  (Jheu'-ished,  encouraged  ;  aided. 
10  A-tOne,  make  satisfaction  for. 


a  Rule  X.,  surprise.     If  considered  in  the  nature  of  a  question,  it  should  have  the  ris- 
ing inflection.        b  Rule  X.,  denunciation.        c  Rule  III.        d  Rule  I.,  direct  question, 
e  Rule  II.  f  Rule  VI.,  contrast  and  comparison.  g  Rule  XI. 


LESSON  XIII. 

BE  KIND  TO  THE  LOVED  ONES  AT  HOME. 

1.  Be  kind  to  thy  father^ ;  for  when  thou  wert  young', 

Who  loved  thee  so  fondly  as  her  ? 
He  caught  the  first  accents  that  fell  from  thy  tongue, 
And  joined  in  thy  innocent  glee. 

2.  Be  kind  to  thy  father ;  for  now  he  is  old, 

His  locks  intermingled  with  gray ; 
His  footsteps  are  feeble,  once  fearless  and  bold : 
Thy  father  is  passing  away. 

3.  Be  kind  to  thy  mother ;  for  lo !  on  her  brow 

May  traces  of  sorrow  be  seen  ; 
0,  well  may'st  thou  cherish  and  comfort  her  now ; 
For  loving  and  kind  she  hath  been. 

4.  Eemember  thy  mother ;  for  thee  will  she  pray 

As  long  as  God  giveth  her  breath ; 
With  accents  of  kindness  then  cheer  her  lone  way, 
E'en  to  the  dark  valley  of  death. 

5.  Be  kind  to  thy  brother ;  his  heart  will  have  dearth 

If  the  smile  of  thy  joy  be  withdrawn ; 
The  flowers  of  feeling  will  fade  at  their  birth 
If  the  dew  of  affection  be  gone. 

6.  Be  kind  to  thy  brother ;  wherever  you  are, 

The  love  of  a  brother  shall  be 
An  ornament  purer  and  richer  by  far 
Than  pearls  from  the  depths  of  the  sea. 


86  WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Part  II. 

7.  Be  kind  to  thy  sister ;  not  many  may  know 

The  depth  of  true  sisterly  love ; 
The  wealth  of  the  ocean  lies  fathoms  below 
The  surface  that  sparkles  above. 

8.  Thy  kindness  shall  bring  to  thee  many  sweet  hours, 

And  blessings  thy  pathway  to  crown ; 
Affection  shall  weave  thee  a  garland  of  flowers, 
More  precious  than  wealth  or  renown. 


LESSON  XIY. 

MY  FATHER'S  AT  THE  HELM. 

1.  The  curling  waves,  with  awful  roar,  a  little  bark  as- 

sailed, 

And  pallid  Fear's  distracting  power  o'er  all  on  board 
prevailed — 

Save  onev,  the  captain's  darling  child,  who  fearless  view- 
ed the  storm, 

And,  cheerful,  with  composure  smiled'  at  danger's 
threatening  form. 

2.  "And  can  you  smile,"  a  seaman  cried,  "while  terrors 

overwhelm'  ?" 

"  Why  should  I  fear^  ?"  the  boy  replied ;  "  my  father's 
at  the  helm!" 

So,  when  our  worldly  hopes  are  reft,  our  earthly  com- 
forts gone, 

We  still  have  one  sure  anchor  left — God  helps,  and  he 
alone. 

3.  He  to  our  prayers  will  lend  his  ear,  he  give  our  pangs 

relief; 

He  turn  to  smiles  each  trembling  fear,  to  joy  each  tor- 
turing grief. 

Then  turn  to  him,  mid  terrors  wild,  when  wants  and 
woes  o'erwhelm, 

Remembering,  like  the  fearless  child,  our  Failier's  at  the 
helm  ! 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


87 


PART   III. 

ZOOLOGY* 

THE  MAMMALIA,  OR  FIRST  PART  OF  THE  NATURAL 
HISTORY  OF  ANIMALS. 


INTKODUCTOKY  LESSON. 

CLASSES  INTO  WHICH  THE  MAMMALIA  ARE  DIVIDED. 

1.  The  first  great  division  of  the  Natural  History1  of 
Animals2  embraces  an  account  of  the  Mammalia,3  most 
of  which  are  included  in  the  class  called  Quadrupeds.4 
The  Mammalia  are  divided  into  six  great  classes,  which 
we  shall  describe  in  the  following  order  :f 

*  Zoology  is  that  science  which  treats  of  animals.  See  also  page  240  for  a  more  full 
account  of  this  science. 

t  We  have  not  found  it  convenient,  nor  thought  it  advisable,  to  embrace  man  in  this 
classification.  Most  naturalists  have,  indeed,  classed  man  among  animals.  But  the 
great  Aristotle,  in  his  system  of  the  animal  world,  excluded  man  from  his  scheme;  and 
his  example  has  been  followed  by  Willoughby,  Ray,  Swainson,  and  others.  The  authors 
of  the  Edinburgh  "  Naturalists'  Library"  have  also  excluded  man  from  their  system  of 
Zoology.  See  this  subject  examined  in  Swainson's  u  Classification  of  Quadrupeds,"  p. 
5-12.     But,  whatever  may  be  the  merits  of  this  question,  and  although  man  would  be  in- 


88  WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Part  III. 

2.  (I.)  In  the  first  class  are  found  those  which,  like  the 
monkeys  and  the  bats,  have  four  hands,  or  four  claws 
which  they  use  like  hands. 

3.  (II.)  In  the  second  class  are  those  wild  beasts,  or 
beasts  of  prey,  which  live  upon  the  flesh  of  other  animals. 
Such  are  the  lion',  the  tiger',  the  panther',  the  wolf,  the 
bear';  and  also  the  otter'a  and  the  sear,  although  these 
latter  live  much  of  the  time  in  the  water. 

4.  (III.)  In  the  third  class  are  those  animals  which  have 
hoofs  instead  of  claws.  Such  are  the  ox',  the  horse',  the 
sheep',  the  camel', a  and  the  elephant/ 

5.  (TV.)  In  the  fourth  class  are  the  gnawing  animals, 
which  live  on  roots  and  fruits.  Such  are  the  rat',  the 
mouse',  the  squirrel',  the  beaver',  and  the  rabbit', a  or  hare\ 

6.  (V.)  In  the  fifth  class  are  such  as  are  called  "  Pouch- 
ed Quadrupeds,"  because  they  have  a  kind  of  pouch,  or 
bag,  in  which  they  carry  their  young.  In  this  class  are 
the  opossums5  and  the  kangaroos.6 

7.  (VI.)  In  the  sixth  class  are  the  animals  of  the  whale 
kind — such  as  whales,  dolphins,  and  porpoises.7  Although 
these  swim  in  the  water,  they  are  not  fish.  They  are  very 
much  like  the  four-footed  beasts,  and  must  be  placed  with 
them  in  the  first  great  division  of  animals — that  is,  among 
the  Mammalia. 

8.  In  no  part  of  creation  are  the  power,  wisdom,  and 
goodness  of  God  more  manifest8  than  in  the  various  ani- 
mals that  inhabit9  and , enliven10  our  globe;11  and  of  this 
we  shall  find  continued  and  increasing  evidence12  as  we 
proceed  in  the  study  of  Natural  History. 

9.  The  beauty  and  elegance  of  many  animals',  the  sin- 
gularity of  others',  the  variety  of  their  motions',  their  pe- 
culiar habits',  their  usefulness  to  man',  their  wonderful  in- 
stincts',13 and  the  nice  adaptation14  of  their  several  parts  to 
the  purposes  for  which  they  were  designed',  are  all  calcu- 
lated to  direct  our  thoughts  in  wonder',  gratitude',  admira- 

cluded  in  our  brief  definition  of  "  an  animal,"  we  find  it  the  beat  for  our  purpose  to  treat 
of  man  in  subsequent  volumes,  under  the  heads  of  •*  Human  Physiology,"  "  Mental  Phi- 
hwophy,"  etc. 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY.— THE   MAMMALIA.  89 

tion',  and  love'  to  the  great  Creator,  who  speaketh  through 
his  works. 

10.  "  Ask  now  the  beasts',  and  they  shall  teach  theev ; 
and  the  fowls  of  the  air',  and  they  shall  tell  theeN ;  and  the 
lishes  of  the  sea'  shall  declare  unto  thee\  Who  knoweth 
not  in  all  these  that  the  hand  of  the  Lord  hath  wrought 
thisT'b    (Job  xii.,  7.) 


1  Nat'-u-bal  IIts'-to-ry,  a  description  of 
the  earth  and  its  productions,  including 
animals,  vegetables,  minerals,  etc. 

2  An'-i-mals,  all  things  that  have  life,  and 
that  can  move  about  from  place  to  place. 
Thus,  not  only  beasts,  but  also  birds,  fish- 


8  Man'-i-fest,  plain ;  easily  seen. 

9  Im-hab'-it,  to  dwell  in,  or  upon. 

10  En-lT'-ven,  to  make  cheerful. 

11  "  Our  globe,"  the  earth  on  which  we 
live. 

12  kv'-i-denoe,  .proof. 


insects,  etc.,  are  animals.  I  13  Jn'-stinft,  that  power  which  directs  the 


3  Mam-ma'-li-a,  all   animals  which  nurse 

their  young. 
*  Qu ad'-ru-peds,  four-footed  beasts. 

5  O-fos'-sum. 

6  Kan-ga-roo'. 
"  Por'-poibe  (pronounced  por-ptis). 

a  Rule  IE.     Unemphatic  succession  of  particulars.  b  Rule  III. 


actions  of  animals.     It  is  instinct  that 
teaches  the  bird  how  to  build  its  nest, 
but  it  is  reason  that  teaches  man  how  to 
build  his  house. 
14  Ad-ap-ta'-tion,  arrangement ;  fitnesa. 


CHAPTER  I. 

FOUR-HANDED  ANIMALS  (QUADRUMANA).1 
LESSONT  I. 

DIVISIONS  OF  THE  MONKEY  TRIBE. 

1.  The  monkey  tribe2  of  animals  found  in  Asia  and 
Africa  is  divided  into  many  kinds,  or  species,3  which  dif- 
fer in  some  respects4  from  each  other,  but  all  of  them  are 
known  under  the  familiar5  names  of  apes,  monkeys,  and 
baboons. 

2.  Three  divisions  may  be  made  of  the  animals  of  the 
monkey  kind  found  in  the  Old  World.6  In  the  first  di- 
vision, or  class,  are  the  apes,  which  have  no  tails.  The 
fore7  feet,  or  arms  of  the  apes,  are  much  longer  than  their 
hinder  arms,  or  legs.  In  this  class  are  placed  the  orang- 
outangs.8 

3.  In  the  second  class  are  those  which  are  called  monk- 
eys, or  ape-monkeys.  All  of  these  have  rounded  faces  and 
long  tails,  and  their  fore  feet,  or  arms,  are  much  shorter  than 
their  hinder  arms,  or  legs. 


90 


WILLSON'S   THIRD   READER. 


Part  III. 


4.  In  the  third  class  are  the  larger  monkeys,  called  bab- 
oons, all  of  which  have  long  dog-shaped  faces,  with  the 
nose  at  the  end.  A  few  of  the  baboons  have  long  tails, 
but  most  of  them  have  none  at  all. 

5.  Of  all  the  monkey  tribe,  the  apes,  in  their  outward 
forms,  have  the  nearest  resemblance  to  man,  and  yet  even 
this  outward  resemblance  is  very  rude  indeed.  Although 
the  apes  are  sometimes  seen  to  stand  and  walk  erect,  yet 
this  is  not  their  natural  position,  but  one  which  has  been 
taught  them. 

6.  Among  the  apes,  those  which  most  resemble  man  are 
the  Asiatic  orang-outang,  and  the  African  chimpanzee. 
Both  of  these,  when  full  grown,  equal  the  ordinary  height 
of  man.  Both  are  mild  and  gentle  when  taken  young  and 
tamed,  but  very  fierce  in  a  wild  state.  No  tame  ones  have 
ever  lived  to  be  old. 


i  Quad-ru'-ma-na,  four-handed. 
8  TbTbf,  a  division  or  class. 
3  Srt'oiito,  a  sort  or  kind. 

*  Rb-spk€TS,  particulars. 

*  Fa-mii.'-iar,  common  ;  well  known. 

«  Old  World.    The  "  Old  World"  includes 
the  eastern  continent— that  is,  Europe, 


Asia,  and  Africa.  The  "New  World" 
includes  the  western  continent — that  is, 
North  and  South  America. 

7  Fore,  forward ;   in  front,  or  toward  the 
face. 

8  o-rang'-Ou-tang'. 


LESSON  II. 

APES.— TUE  ORANG-OUTANG. 

1.  Of  all  the  animals  of  the  monkey  tribe,  the  red  orang- 
outang,1 which  is  found  only  in  the  southeastern  parts  of 
Asia,  and  the  neighboring2  islands  of  Sumatra3  and  Bor- 
neo,4 has  the  nearest  resemblance  to  man. 

2.  When  full  grown,  the  Asiatic  orang  is  six  feet  high ; 
his  body  is  covered  with  coarse  red  hair ;  he  has  no  tail ; 
his  face  is  bluish,  and  has  no  hair  except  on  the  sides, 
somewhat  in  the  manner  of  whiskers.  The  palms  of  his 
feet  and  hands  also  are  nearly  naked. 

3.  The  hands  are  long  compared  with  their  width ;  the 
lingers  are  small  and  tapering;5  and  the  arms  are  very 
long,  often  reaching  to  the  ground  when  the  animal  stands 


1st  DlV.  OF 


ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


91 


Scale  of  Feet. 


1.  The  Black  Orang,  or  Chimpanzee,  Troglodytes  niger.  2.  The  Red  Orang,  Pithecus 
Satyrus.  3.  Front  view  of  the  Red  Orang.  4.  The  Hoolock,  or  Gibbon  Ape,  Hylobates 
hoolock.    5.  Side  view  of  one  of  the  Hoolocks. 

erect.     Such  is  a  description  of  the  largest  of  the  orang- 
outangs of  Asia. 

4.  The  black  orang,  or  chimpanzee,6  which  is  a  native 
of  the  western  coast  of  Southern  Africa,  is  equal  in  height 
to  the  red  orang  of  Asia,  but  has  shorter  arms.  The  chim- 
panzees are  said  to  live  in  vast  troops.  The  gorilla,  also 
an  ape  of  Western  Africa,  is  very  much  like  the  chimpan- 
zee, but  stouter,  and  more  hideous7  in  appearance. 

5.  These  apes  are  said  to  attack  the  elephant,  and  even 
the  lion,  and  other  beasts  of  prey,  throwing  at  them  clubs 
and  stones.  When  caught  young  and  tamed,  they  are  mild 
and  peaceable,  and  their  habits  are  very  much  like  those  of 
the  red  orang  of  Asia.  When  wild  and  full  grown,  all 
orangs  are  enemies  to  be  feared. 

6.  Some  years  ago  a  full  grown  orang-outang  was  dis- 
covered far  from  the  forests  in  the  island  of  Sumatra. 
When  a  boat's  crew  from  an  English  vessel  went  to  attack 
him,  he  sprung  up  into  some  trees,  and  ran  from  one  to 
another  with  great  rapidity.8     In  vain  tree  after  tree  was 


92 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  III. 


cut  down  to  secure  him,  and  he  was  repeatedly  shot  before 
he  was  brought  to  the  ground. 

7.  His  pitiful9  cries  and  imploring  looks,  as  he  placed 
his  hands  over  his  wounds,  made  him  seem  to  the  sailors 
almost  like  a  human  being.  So  strong  was  he  that,  even 
when  severely  wounded,  it  was  with  difficulty  that  he  was 
overpowered10  by  a  dozen  men,  who  finally  destroyed  him 
by  the  thrusts  of  spears,  and  the  blows  of  stones  and  clubs. 
He  was  upward  of  six  feet  high. 

8.  •  And  now,  having  given  a  description  of  this  wonder- 
ful creature  which  God  has  made,  we  may  ask,  Is  any  great 
truth  to  be  learned  from  it  ?  Is  it  probable  that  God  de- 
signed to  teach  us  any  thing  by  making  the  body  of  a 
dumb  beast  so  much  like  the  body  of  a  man?     Let  us  see. 

9.  God  has  given  to  the  orang  a  body  much  like  the 
body  of  a  man :  he  has  given  him  hands,  teeth,  a  brain, 
and  a  tongue  similar  to  those  of  man ;  the  orang  can  stand 
and  walk  erect,  and  he  can  imitate  many  of  the  actions  of 
man.  And  yet  the  difference  between  him  and  man  is 
immense,  for  he  can  neither  speak  nor  think.  He  is  noth- 
ing, after  all,  but  a  dumb  brute ;  and  he  does  not  know, 
nor  can  he  learn,  even  so  much  as  a  dog. 

10.  Perhaps  God  made  the  body  of  the  orang  so  much 
like  the  body  of  a  man  that  we  might  learn  a  great  truth 
from  it ;  that  we  might  know  that  mind  is  something  en- 
tirely different  from  matter;  and  that  it  is  not  the  body 
that  thinks,  but  the  soul  which  God  has  put  into  the  body 
of  man  alone.  Therefore,  while  we  are  studying  the  his- 
tory of  God's  creatures,  and  learning  many  wonderful 
things  about  them,  let  us  ever  remember  that  we  can  think 
and  reason,  and  that  brute  animals  can  not ;  and  that  God 
alone,  by  giving  to  man  a  soul,  has  made  him  to  differ  from 
"  the  brutes  that  perish." 


i  o-eang'-Ou-tang',  a  Malay  word,  mean- 
ing "  wild  man  of  the  woods." 

2  Nkioh'-hor-ing,  adjoining;  near. 

i  gu-M v'-tka  (pronounced  Soo-mah'-tra), 
nn  Island  south  of  Asia. 

*  Bor'-nb-o,  an  island  south  of  Asia. 


8  Ta'per-ing,  growing  smaller  toward  t>*o 
end. 

6  Chui-pan'-zek.     • 

7  Hm'-E-ous,  frightful  to  the  sight 

8  Ka-pTd'-i-ty,  swiftness. 

9  I'lT'-r-Pvi.,  full  of  pity. 

10   O-VKK-POw'-KRKD,  Subdued. 


1st  Uiv.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  93 


LESSON  III. 

STORY  OF  A  YOUNG  ORANG-OUTANG. 

1.  In  the  year  1818  a  young  Asiatic  orang-outang,  about 
three  feet  in  height,  was  brought  from  Borneo  to  England. 
The  sailors  gave  him  the  name  of  Pongo.  After  being 
carried  on  board  the  ship  in  a  bamboo1  cage,  he  succeeded 
in  breaking  the  bamboos,  and  making  his  escape  from  the 
cage. 

2.  After  various  attempts  to  secure  him,  he  was  finally 
allowed  to  wander  freely  about  the  ship,  where  he  soon 
became  familiar  with  the  sailors,  whom  he  surpassed  in 
agility.2  They  often  chased  him  about  the  rigging,3  when 
he  would  frequently  escape  from  them  by  seizing  a  loose 
rope,  and  swinging  out  of  their  reach. 

3.  On  board  the  ship  he  commonly  slept  at  the  mast- 
head, after  wrapping  himself  in  a  piece  of  sail-cloth.  If 
he  could  not  get  a  piece  of  sail-cloth,  he  would  either  steal 
one  of  the  sailors'  jackets  that  happened  to  be  hung  up  tc 
dry,  or  he  would  go  to  a  hammock,4  take  out  the  blankets 
and  make  a  bed  of  them. 

4.  When  the  ship  was  passing  around  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  Pongo  suffered  much  from  the  cold.  In  the  morn- 
ing he  would  come  down  from  the  mast-head  shivering, 
run  up  to  any  of  his  friends  who  had  before  treated  him 
kindly,  climb  into  their  arms,  and  try  to  get  warm  by 
clasping  them  closely.  He  would  scream  violently  if  any 
one  attempted  to  take  him  away. 

5.  He  ate  freely  all  kinds  of  meat',  but  seemed  to  like 
raw  meat  the  bestr ;  he  was  fond  of  bread',  but  preferred 
fruits^ ;  he  drank  water',  but  was  more  fond  of  coffee  and 
tear ;  he  would  readily  take  wine\  and  at  one  time  he  stole 
the  captain's  brandy  bottle. 

6.  When  fruit  was  held  out  to  him,  he  was  very  impa- 
tient5 to  get  it ;  he  became  very  angry  when  it  was  not 
soon  given  to  him,  and  would  chase  a  person  all  over  the 


94 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  III. 


ship  to  obtain  it.  The  captain  seldom  came  on  deck  with- 
out sweetmeats  in  his  pockets,  and  Pongo  was  always 
watching  for  them. 

7.  Sometimes  the  captain  would  try  to  avoid  Pongo  by 
climbing  up  to  the  mast-head,  but  Pongo  was  very  sure  to 
overtake  him.  He  would  then  hold  on  to  the  ropes  with 
his  feet,  hold  the  captain's  legs  with  one  of  his  hands,  and 
with  the  other  take  the  fruit  out  of  his  pockets. 

8.  On  several  occasions,  when  he  could  not  get  the  or- 
anges that  were  shown  him,  he  seemed  driven  almost  to 
despair.  After  trying  in  vain  to  get  them  by  cunning  and 
stealth,6  he  would  scream  violently,  and  swing  himself  fu- 
riously about  the  ropes;  then  he  would  return,  and  try 
again,  and,  when  refused,  would  roll  for  some  time,  like  an 
angry  child,  upon  the  deck,  and  utter  the  most  piercing 
screams. 

9.  At  other  times,  when  refused,  he  would  suddenly 
start  up  and  rush  over  the  side  of  the  ship,  as  if  he  were 
going  to  drown  himself.  The  first  time  that  he  did  this 
the  sailors  thought  that  he  had  really  thrown  himself  into 
the  sea,  but,  on  a  search  being  made,  they  found  him  con- 
cealed under  the  chains. 

10.  On  two  occasions  Pongo  was  terribly  frightened. 
One  was  when  a  large  turtle7  was  brought  on  board.  Pon- 
go quickly  scampered  up  the  ropes  higher  than  he  had 
ever  been  before,  and  it  was  a  long  time  before  he  could 
be  induced  to  come  down.  At  another  time  he  showed 
the  same  fright,  and  ran  up  the  ropes,  on  seeing  some  men 
bathing  and  splashing  in  the  sea. 

11.  After  Pongo  reached  England  he  learned  to  walk 
on  his  hind  feet  without  the  aid  of  his  hands,  to  kiss  his 
keeper,  and  to  eat  with  a  spoon;  but  the  cold  weather 
of  that  country  did  not  agree  with  him,  and  he  soon  after 
died. 


1  Bam-boo',  a  plant  of  the  reed  kind. 

2  A-('iii/-i-TT,  activity. 

s  RTg'-ging,  ropoa  which  support  the  masts. 

4  Ham'-moce,  a  kind  of  hanging  l>ed. 


5  Im-pa'-tiknt,  eager ;  hasty. 

6  Stkalth,  stealing;  slyness. 

7  TCb'tle,  a  tortoise. 


1st  Div.  or  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


95 


LESSON  IV. 

MONKEYS  AND  BABOONS  OF  THE  OLD  WORLD. 


/Scale  o/JPett, 


1.  The  Kahau,  or  Proboscis  Monkey,  Nasalis  larvatus.  2.  Cochin-China  Monkey, 
Lasiopyga  nemea.  3.  Simpai,  Semnopithccus  melalophos.  4.  Entellus  Monkey,  Semno- 
pithecus  entcllus.  5.  Varied  Monkey,  Cercopithecusmona.  6.  Red  Monkey,  Cercopithe- 
cu8  ruber.  7.  Green  Monkey,  Cercocebua  sabceus.  8.  Barbary  Ape,  or  Baboon,  InUus 
sylvanus.    9.  Chacnia,  or  Dog-headed  Baboon,  Papio  sylvanus. 

1.  Next  to  the  apes,  which  we  have  described,  there  is 
a  large  class  of  animals  in  the  Old  World,  of  the  monkey 
race,  which  are  noted  for  the  beauty  of  their  coloring,  their 
long  tails  and  short  arms,  their  gentleness  and  cunning, 
and  the  activ4ty  of  their  motions.  While  the  former  are 
called  apes,  because  they  ape  or  imitate  man  in  their  mo- 
tions, the  latter  are  generally  known  by  the  name  of 
monkeys. 

2.  Among  the  monkeys  of  the  Old  World  there  is  a 
great  variety  in  shape  and  size.  They  are  much  smaller 
than  the  apes.  Nearly  all  of  them,  when  taken  at  an  early 
age,  are  playful  and  familiar;  they  learn  a  great  variety 
of  tricks ;  they  are  very  quick  and  sprightly  in  their  mo- 
tions ;'  but  their  faces  are  so  grave  and  solemn,  even  when 


96  WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER.  Part  HI. 

they  are  the  most  mischievous,1  that  one  can  hardly  look 
at  them  without  laughing.  In  a  wild  state  monkeys  live 
in  troops  in  the  woods,  and  shun  the  habitations2  of  man. 

3.  Mr.  Forbes  tells  the  story  of  a  monkey  that  was  shot 
by  a  friend  of  his  in  India,  and  carried  to  his  tent.  Forty 
or  fifty  of  the  tribe  advanced  upon  the  gentleman  with 
threatening3  gestures,4  but  stood  still  when  he  pointed  his 
gun  at  them.  One,  however,  who  appeared  to  be  the  chief 
of  the  tribe,  came  forward,  chattering  and  threatening  in  a 
furious  manner. 

4.  At  first  nothing  short  of  firing  at  him  seemed  likely 
to  drive  him  away ;  but  at  length  he  approached  the  tent 
door  with  every  sign  of  grief  and  supplication,  as  if  he 
were  begging  for  the  body.  "When  it  was  given  to  him, 
he  took  it  in  his  arms,  carried  it,  with  expressions  of  affec- 
tion, to  his  companions,  and  with  them  disappeared  in  the 
forest.  The  gentleman  was  so  affected  by  the  sight  that 
he  declared  he  would  never  shoot  another  monkey. 

5.  Next  in  order  to  the  long-tailed  monkeys  are  the  bab- 
oons, which  are  the  most  fierce,  the  most  revengeful,  and 
the  most  disgusting  of  the  whole  monkey  tribe.  The  bab- 
oons are  generally  larger  than  the  long-tailed  monkeys; 
their  strength  is  very  great;  they  are  sulky5  in  disposi- 
tion; when  annoyed6  they  are  furious  and  revengeful; 
and,  when  attacked  in  a  wild  state,  they  are  very  danger' 
ous.  They  are  sometimes  found  in  the  forests  of  Africa 
in  large  troops. 

6.  Among  the  baboons,  that  which  is  usually  called  the 
Barbary  ape  is  the  most  frequently  seen  in  this  country, 
as  it  is  often  selected,  on  account  of  its  intelligence,  to  ac- 
company strolling  organ-players.  Great  numbers  of  the 
Barbary  ape  are  still  found  in  a  wild  state  on  the  steep 
sides  of  the  rocks  of  Gibraltar,  where  they  can  not  easily 
be  reached  by  man. 

7.  The  largest,  fiercest,  and  strongest  baboons  are  those 
which  are  called  the  dog-headed  baboons.  They  are  so 
called  because  they  have  long,  dog-shaped  heads.  .  In  a 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  97 

wild  state  they  show  great  cunning,  but  they  can  not  be 
tamed  unless  taken  when  young. 

8.  One  of  these  dog-headed  baboons  from  the  Cape  of 
Good  Hope  was  kept  in  the  Eoyal  Garden  at  Paris.  One 
day,  having  made  his  escape  from  the  cage,  his  keeper 
threatened  him  with  a  stick,  which  so  enraged7  the  creature 
that  he  flew  at  the  keeper  and  wounded  him  severely. 

9.  After  many  vain  efforts8  to  induce  him  to  return  to 
his  cage,  the  keeper's  daughter,  who  had  often  fed  him,  and 
was  a  great  favorite  with  him,  placed  herself  at  a  door  op- 
posite that  of  the  cage  through  which  he  had  to  pass,  and 
a  stranger  came  up  and  put  his  arm  around  her.  This  so 
enraged  the  animal  that  he  sprung  furiously  forward  to 
reach  the  stranger,  when  he  was  caught  in  the  cage  and 
secured. 

10.  The  monkeys  near  the  Cape  of  Good  Hope  often 
descend  from  the  mountains  into  the  plains  to  pillage  gar- 
dens ;  and,  when  they  are  on  these  expeditions,  they  place 
sentinels  to  guard  against  surprise.  The  Chinese  monkeys 
also  station  one  of  their  number  on  some  adjacent3  tree, 
while  the  rest  plunder  the  sugar-canes.  If  a  person  ap- 
proaches, the  sentinel10  screams ;  and  then  each,  grasping 
as  many  canes  as  he  can  carry  under  one  arm,  runs  off 
on  three  legs, 

11.  "  Destructive,  on  the  upland  sugar  groves 

The  monkey  nation  preys  ; ' l  from  rocky  heights. 

In  silent  parties,  they  descend  by  night, 

And  posting1-  watchful  sentinels  to  warn 

When  hostile  steps  approach,  with  gambols'3 

They  pour  o'er  the  cane  groves.     Luckless1*  he  to  whom 

The  land  pertains."15 


1  Mis'-cniF.v-ous,  inclined  to  do  mischief. 

2  Hab-t-ta'-tions,  dwelling-places. 

3  Theeat'-en-ing,  indicating  harm  or  in- 
jury. 

*  6est'-uees,  motions. 

5  SCi.k'-y,  sullen. 

6  An-noy'kt>,  irritated;  provoked. 

7  En-ra'(';et>,  made  angry. 
9  ef'-foets,  attempts 


9  Ad-ja'-cent,  near  ;  neighboring. 
10  Sen'-ti-nel,  one  who  watches  or  keeps 

guard. 
ii  Peeys,  pillages ;  plunders, 
i?  Pobt'-ing,  placing. 

13  Gam'-eol,  a  skipping  or  leaping  about 
in  frolic. 

14  LfciK'-LESS,  unfortunate. 

15  Pee-tains'.  belongs. 


E 


98 


WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER. 


Part  III. 


LESSON  V. 

STORY  OF  A  SENEGAL  MONKEY.* 


4.  Head  of  the  Entellus  Monkey ;  the  kind  killed  by  the  English  gentleman.    6.  Head 
of  the  Red  Senegal  Monkey.    8.  Head  of  the  Barbary  Ape. 

1.  The  following  account  of  a  Senegal  monkey  was 
written  by  a  lady  who  was  a  passenger  on  board  of  the 
ship  in  which  it  was  brought  to  England.  The  species  of 
monkey  here  described  is  of  a  reddish  brown  color,  only 
about  a  foot  and  a  half  long. 

2.  "  My  first  acquaintance  with  Jack,  the  cook's  monk- 
ey, was  made  in  the  following  manner.  A  few  days  after 
we  had  set  sail  I  was  sitting  on  the  after-deck,  occupied1  in 
reading,  when  suddenly  a  noise  between  a  squeak  and  a 
chatter  met  my  ears ;  and  before  I  could  turn  my  head  to 
see  whence  it  proceeded,  a  heavy  living  creature  jumped 
on  to  my  shoulders  from  behind,  and  its  tail  encircled2  my 
throat. 

3.  "I  felt  it  was  the  cook's  monkey — the  mischievous, 
malicious,3  mocking  Jack,  whose  pranks4  had  often  made 
me  laugh  against  my  will,  as  I  watched  him  from  a  dis- 
tance, but  with  whom  I  had  never  made  the  least  acquaint- 
ance. 

4.  "Whether  from  fear  or  presence  of  mind,  I  do  not 
pretend  to  say,  but  I  remained  perfectly  still,  and  in  a 
minute  or  two  Jack  put  his  head  forward  and  stared  me  in 
the  face,  uttering  a  sort  of  croak ;  he  then  descended  to 
my  knees,  examined  my  hands  as  if  he  were  counting  my 

*  The  monkey  here  mentioned  ia  that  shown  at  Fig.  6  in  the  cut,  the  Cercopithee^i 
ruber,  or  Red  Senegal  Monkey. 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  99 

fingers,  tried  to  take  off  my  rings,  and,  when  I  gave  him 
some  biscuit,  curled  himself  up  quietly  in  my  lap. 

5.  "  We  were  friends  from  that  moment.  My  aversion5 
to  monkeys  was  cured,  and  I  have  ever  since  taken  great 
interest  and  pleasure  in  watching,  studying,  and  protecting 
them.  We  had  several  monkeys  on  board  the  vessel,  but 
Jack  was  the  prince  of  them  all. 

6.  "  Jack  had  first  been  kept  to  his  part  of  the  deck  by 
means  of  a  cord ;  but,  as  he  became  more  and  more  tame, 
his  liberty  was  extended,6  till  at  last  he  was  allowed  the 
whole  range  of  the  ship,  with  the  exception  of  the  captain's 
and  passengers'  cabins. 

7.  "  The  occupations7  which  he  marked  out  for  himself 
usually  began  at  early  dawn,  by  overturning  the  steward's 
parrot-cage  whenever  he  could  get  at  it,  in  order  to  secure 
the  lump  of  sugar  which  then  rolled  out.  He  evidently 
intended  to  pull  the  parrot's  feathers,  but  the  latter,  by 
turning  round  as  fast  as  Jack  turned,  and  always  present- 
ing his  beak,  kept  Jack's  paws  at  a  suitable  distance. 

8.  "At  this  early  hour  I  was  frequently  awakened  by 
the  quick  trampling  of  feet  on  deck,  and  knew  it  arose  from 
a  pursuit  of  Jack,  on  account  of  some  mischief  on  his  part. 
He  would  often  descend  into  the  forecastle,8  snatch  the 
caps  of  the  sailors,  steal  their  knives  and  tools,  and,  if  they 
were  not  very  active  in  the  pursuit,  would  sometimes  throw 
them  overboard. 

9.  "When  the  preparations  for  breakfast  began,  Jack 
would  take  a  seat  in  a  corner  near  the  grate,  and  when 
the  cook's  back  was  turned,  would  snatch  up  something 
from  the  fire  and  conceal  it.  He  sometimes  burned  his 
fingers  by  these  tricks,  which  kept  him  quiet  for  a  few 
days,  but  no  sooner  was  the  pain  gone  than  he  repeated 
the  mischief. 

10.  "  Two  days  in  each  week  the  pigs,  which  formed 
part  of  our  live-stock,  were  allowed  to  run  about  the  deck 
for  exercise,  and  then  Jack  was  particularly  happy.     Hid 
ing  himself  behind  a  cask,  he  would  suddenly  spring  on  to 


100 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  III. 


the  back  of  one  of  them,  which  then  scampered  around  the 
deck  in  great  fright.  Sometimes  Jack  would  get  upset, 
and  if  he  were  saluted  with  a  laugh  from  the  sailors,  he 
would  look  up  with  an  assumed9  air  of  wonder,  as  much  as 
to  say,  'What  can  you  laugh  at?' 

11.  "  Besides  Jack  there  were  three  little  monkeys  on 
board,  with  red  skins  and  blue  faces,  and  Jack  would  fre- 
quently get  all  of  these  on  his  back  at  the  same  time,  and 
carry  them  about  the  vessel;  but,  when  I  began  to  pet 
these  little  creatures,  he  became  jealous,  and  freed  himself 
from  two  of  his  rivals  by  throwing  them  into  the  sea. 

12.  "  One  of  his  drollest  tricks  was  practiced  on  the  poor 

little  black  monkey 
that  was  left.  One  day 
the  men  who  had  been 
painting  left  their  paint 
and  brushes  on  the  up- 
per deck.  Jack  enticed 
his  victim  to  him;  then, 
seizing  him  with  one 
hand,  with  the  other  he 
took  the  brush,  and 
covered  him  with  the 
white  paint  from  head 
to  foot. 

13.  "The  laugh  of 
the  man  at  the  helm  called  my  attention  to  the  circum- 
stance, and  as  soon  as  Jack  perceived  that  he  was  discov- 
ered, he  dropped  his  dripping  brother,  and  scampered  up 
the  rigging  till  he  gained  the  main-top,  where  he  stood 
with  his  nose  between  the  bars  looking  at  what  was  going 
on  beiow.  Jack  was  afraid  to  come  down,  and  only  after 
three  days  passed  in  his  elevated  place  of  refuge  did  hun- 
ger compel  him  to  descend.  He  chose  the  moment  when 
I  was  sitting  on  deck,  and,  swinging  himself  by  a  rope,  he 
dropped  suddenly  into  my  lap,  looking  so  imploringly  at 
me  for  pardon,  that  T  not  only  forgave  him  myself,  but 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE    MAM  At  ALIA. 


101 


saved  him  from  farther  punishment.     A  short  time  after 
this  I  took  another  vessel,  and  Jack  and  I  parted,  never  to 


meet  again." 

1  oe'-ctr-piED,  employed. 

2  En-cik'-cled,  wound  around. 

3  Ma-li"-cious,  inclined  to  hurt  or  injure. 

4  Pranks,  tricks. 

5  A-ver'-sion,  dislike. 


6  Ex-ten  d'-ed,  increased. 

7  Oc-cu-pa'-tion,  employment. 

8  Fore'-€as-tle,  a  short  upper  deck 
fore  part  of  the  ship. 

9  As-sCm'ed,  pretended. 


the 


LESSON  VI. 

THE  MONKEYS  OF  SOUTH  AMERICA. 


^s^v, 


Scale  of  Feet. 


1.  The  Horned  Sapajou,  Cebus  fatuellus.  2.  The  Siamiri.  or  Squirrel  Monkey,  Gl- 
Uthrix  sciureus.  3.  The  Cacajao,  or  Night  Ape,  Pithecm  melanocephaJa.  4.  The  Large- 
headed  Sapajou,  Ccbus  monachus.  5.  The  Coaito,  a  four-fingered  monkey,  sometimes 
called  the  Spider  Monkey,  A  teles  jmnUcvs.  6.  The  Araguato,  or  Red  Howler,  Myce'es  iir- 
mms.  7.  The  Striated  Monkey,  Mouse  Monkey,  or  Marmoset,  Hapales  iacchus.  8,  'J  he 
Douroucouli,  Aotes  trivirgatus.  9.  The  Couchio,  or  Fox-tailed  Monkey,  Pithecia  satanas. 
10.  The  Silky  Tamarin  (color  golden  yellow),  Midas  rosalia.  11.  The  Leonine  Tamarin, 
Midas  leonina. 

1.  The  American  monkeys,  which  are  fonnd  in  great 
numbers  in  the  forests  of  South  America,  differ  very  much 
from  those  of  Asia  and  Africa  which  we  have  already  de- 
scribed. 

2.  The  South  American  monkeys  are  much  smaller  than 
those  of  the  Old  World ;  they  are  less  malicious,  and  all 


102  WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER.  Part  III. 

of  them  have  long  tails.  Most  of  them  can  twist  their  tails 
around  branches  of  trees,  and  thus  support  themselves, 
which  none  of  the  Eastern  monkeys  can  do. 

3.  The  largest  and  most  fierce  of  the  American  monkeys 
are  those  which  are  called  Howlers.  The  body  of  one  of 
these,  when  full  grown,  is  nearly  three  feet  long.  The 
Howlers,  which  derive  their  name  from  the  frightful  howl- 
ings  which  they  make  after  sunset,  and  especially  just  be- 
fore a  rain-storm,  are  very  numerous  in  the  woods  of  South 
America.  Forty  of  them  at  a  time  have  been  counted 
upon  one  tree. 

4.  One  writer,  who  describes  these  monkeys,  says,  "The 
Howler  has  the  face  of  a  man,  the  beard  of  a  goat,  and  a 

grave  behavior."1  There  are  seven  or  eight 
kinds  of  howling  monkeys,  yet  they  differ 
but  little  from  each  other.  When  they  set 
out  on  a  journey  through  the  forests,  one 
old  monkey  generally  takes  the  lead,  and 
the  rest  follow  in  single  file.2 

5.  The  sapajous3  are  another  large  class 
of  American  monkeys.  One  kind  of  these,  called  the 
spider  monkey,  has  no  thumbs  on  its  fore  hand.  It  moves 
about  like  a  slow  crawling  spider,  constantly  using  its  tail 
to  swing  itself  from  one  branch  of  a  tree  to  another. 

6.' The  horned  sapajou  is  a  queer-looking  monkey,  on 
account  of  the  hair  on  its  forehead,  which  looks  as  if  it  had 
just  been  brushed  so  as  to  stand  up  erect;  When  viewed 
in  front  it  has  the  appearance  of  two  horns.  Among  the 
sapajous  are  the  weeping  monkeys,  whose  name  is  derived 
from  their  soft  and  plaintive4  voices.  These  monkeys  are 
quite  small ;  they  are  mild  and  gentle ;  their  motions  are 
quick  and  light,  and  they  are  easily  tamed. 

7.  The  traveler  Humboldt  gives  an  account  of  one  of 
the  little  weeping  monkeys  that,  was  kept  by  an  Indian 
family.  Every  morning,  after  it  had  taken  its  breakfast, 
it  would  catch  a  pig,  and  ride  around  on  its  back  during 
the  day  while  the  pig  was  eating.     Another,  which  was 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.     .  103 

kept  in  a  Spanish  family,  would  ride  upon  the  cat  in  the 
same  way. 

8.  Next  to  the  sapajous  are  the  squirrel  monkeys,  which 
are  sprightly5  and  beautiful  little  animals,  scarcely  ten 
inches  in  length.  There  are  ulso  the  fox- tailed  monkeys, 
and  the  mouse  monkeys,  the  latter  being  only  about  eight 
inches  in  length.  The  mouse  monkey  is  a  great  favorite, 
is  easily  tamed,  and,  after  a  few  hours,  becomes  playful  and 
familiar.  The  silken  monkey,  and  the  little  lion  monkey, 
are  also  beautiful  little  animals,  about  the  same  size  as  the 
mouse  monkeys. 

9.  From  the  engraving  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Amer- 
ican monkeys  are  much  better-looking  animals  than  the 
monkeys  of  the  Old  World.  They  are  also  more  pleasing 
in  their  actions ;  and,  although  they  are  cunning  and  some- 
times mischievous,  they  are  not  cruel  and  revengeful.6 

1  u  Grave  be-hav'-ior,"  a  sober  or  serious     3  Sa-pa'-jous  (Sah-pah-zhooz). 
manner.  *  Peaint'-ive,  mournful;  sorrowful. 

2  "  Sin'gle  file,-"  in  a  line ;  one  behind    5  SprTght'-ly,  active. 

another.  |  6  Re-venge'-fcl,  spiteful ;  full  of  revenge. 


LESSON  VII. 

THE  MONKEY. 
11 


Monkeys  op  South  America. 

1.  Horned  Sapajou.     11.  Leonine  Tamaran.     7.  Mouse  Monkey.     See  page  101  foi 
their  relative  size. 

1.  Look  now  at  his  odd  grimaces;1 
Saw  you  e'er  such  comic2  faces'  ? 
Now  like  learned  judge  sedate,3 
Now  with  nonsense  in  his  pate.4 


104 


WILL-SON'S   THIRD    READER. 


Tart  III. 


2.  Look  now  at  him.     Slyly  peep. 
He  pretends"  he  is  asleep' — 
Fast  asleep  upon  his  bed, 
With  his  arm  beneath  his  head. 

3.  Ha !  he  is  not  half  asleep ; 
See,  he  slyly  takes  a  peep ! 
Monkey',  though  your  eyes  are  shut, 
You  could  see  this  little  nut' t 

4.  There,  the  little  ancient  man 
Cracks  it  quickly  as  he  can ; 
Now,  good-by,  you  funny  fellow, 

Nature's  primest5  Punchinello.6         Mary  Howirr. 


i  GeT-ma'-obs,  distortions  of  the  face. 

2  €5m'-ic,  queer ;  droll. 

3  Se-datk',  calm ;  grave. 


4  Pate',  face. 

5  FkT'-mkst,  best ;  first. 

6  Pttn-chi-nel'-lo,  a  mimic ;  a  droll  actor. 


lesson  vm. 

THE  LEMURS  AND  THE  BATS. 
2 


Scale  of  Jiu/ns. 

1.  Great  Horse-shoe  Bat  of  England,  Vesj>ertilio  ferrnm-equinum.  2  and  4.  Nc>* 
York  Bat,  VupertUio  Noveboracenste.  5.  Hoary  Bat  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  Vesper, 
tilio  pruinosus.  0.  Yampire  Bat,  Vespertilio  vampirus,  or  Vampirus  spectrum.  B. 
Ix>ris,  gracilis.    7.  Lemur,  macaco. 

1.  The  lemur,1  or  makis,2  sometimes  called  the  fox- 
nosed  monkey,  is  an  animal  about  the  size  of  a  cat,  and 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  105 

is  found  in  the  island  of  Madagascar3  only,  and  near  the 
coast  of  southeastern  Africa.  It  is  classed  among  the 
four-handed  animals  because  its  claws,  or  hands,  very  much 
resemble  the  hands  of  the  monkey. 

2.  There  are  several  kinds  of  lemurs.  They  live  in  the 
depths  of  the  forests;  they  spend  the  entire  day  in  sleep, 
and  prowl4  about  by  night  in  search  of  their  food,  which 
consists  of  fruits,  insects,  and  small  birds.  The  ruffled  le- 
mur, which  is  the  largest,  is  covered  with  large  black  and 
white  spots,  and  has  a  bushy  tail. 

3.  Another  kind,  which  is  called  the  loris,  or  lazy  monk- 
ey, has  no  tail.  It  is  very  slow  in  its  motions,  except  when 
it  catches  its  prey.  When  the  loris  sees  a  sleeping  bird, 
it  creeps  slowly  up,  without  the  least  noise,  until  it  is  with- 
in reach  of  it,  then  puts  forward  its  paw  so  slowly  that  it 
can  scarcely  be  seen  to  move,  until  its  fingers  are  over  the 
devoted  sleeper,  when,  with  a  movement  swifter  than  the 
eye  can  follow,  it  seizes  its  startled5  prey. 

4.  Bats  also,  or  flying  mice,  as  they  are  sometimes  call- 
ed, which  fly  about  in  great  numbers  on  warm  summer 
evenings,  but  are  seldom  seen  in  the  daytime,  are  placed 
in  the  same  class  of  animals  as  the  monkeys  and  lemurs, 
because  they  have  the  power  of  using  all  their  feet  or 
claws  like  hands,  to  take  hold  of  any  thing  by  which  they 
wish  to  suspend6  themselves. 

5.  Bats  feed  on  fruit  and  insects.  When  asleep,  and  in 
winter,  they  hang  by  the  hind  feet,  with  the  head  down- 
ward, from  branches  of  trees,  or,  more  commonly,  from  the 
rocky  sides  of  caverns,7  the  interior  of  hollow  trees,  and 
the  sides  of  barns  and  old  ruins.  Their  sense  of  hearing 
is  so  good  that,  even  when  blind,  they  seem  to  fly  as  well 
as  when  they  can  see. 

6.  When  bats  have  their  eyes  sealed  up  they  will  fly 
rapidly  about  a  room  without  hitting  small  threads  which 
have  been  stretched  across  it  in  various  directions;  and 
they  will  also,  when  blinded,  pass  through  very  narrow 
passages  without  touching  the  sides. 

E2 


106 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  III. 


7.  More  than  eighty  kinds  of  bats  are  known,  and  they 
vary  from  the  size  of  a  small  mouse  to  that  of  a  large 
squirrel.  The  smaller  kinds  can  extend8  their  wings,  or 
arms,  four  or  five  inches,  and  some  of  the  larger  kinds  near- 
ly three  feet.  Bats  are  found  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  but 
they  are  the  largest  and  most  numerous  in  warm  countries. 

8.  The  little  bats  found  in  our  country  are  harmless- creat- 
ures ;  but  the  vampire  bats,  and  some  other  species  found 
in  warm  countries,  suck  the  blood  of  men  and  animals  that 
are  found  sleeping,  and  in  that  way  sometimes  kill  them. 
Like  the  monkeys  and  the  lemurs,  some  species  of  bats 

have  tails,  and  some  have 
none. 

9..  The  long-eared  bat, 
of  which  we  give  a  draw- 
ing, is  found  in  most  parts 
of  Europe,  and  is  com- 
mon in  England.  The 
body  is  about  the  size  of 
the  common  mouse.  It 
is  easily  tamed,  and  will 
take  flies  and  other  in- 

Long-eared  Bat,  Plecotus  aurltm.  ^^  frQm  ^  h&Q±    The 

long-eared  bat  of  Carolina  is  quite  similar  to  it. 


1  Le'-mur. 

2  Ma'-KI8. 

3  Mad-a-gab'  qab~ 

*  Prowl,  to  go  ubout  slyly. 


5  Staet'-led,  suddenly  alarmed. 

6  Sus-pend',  to  hang  up. 

7  Cav'-ern*,  caves. 

8  Ex-tend,  stretch  out. 


1st  Diy.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


107 


CHAPTBE  II 

CARNIVOROUS,  OR  FLESH-EATING  ANIMALS. 

FIRST  DIVISION  :  ANIMALS  OF  THE  CAT  KIND  (Felidce),  EMBRACING  LIONS, 
TIGERS,  LEOPARDS,  LYNXES,  PANTHERS,  AND  BOTH  THE  WILD  AND  THE 
TAME  CATS.* 

LESSON  I. 

THE  LION. 


The  African  Lion,  Felis  Leo. 


1.  The  lion,  which  is  the  strongest  and  most  courageous1 
of  the  cat  tribe  of  animals,  has  been  called  the  "  king  of 
beasts"  and  "  monarch  of  the  forest."  He  is  a  native  of 
Africa  and  of  Southern  Asia.  The  greatest  size  of  the 
African  lion  is  nearly  eight  feet  in  length  and  four  and  a 
half  in  height. 

2.  The  lion  is  distinguished2  from  all  other  animals  by 
an  enormous  head  covered  with  long  waving  hair ;  a  large 
forehead,  which,  in  anger,  is  covered  with  wrinkles ;  pierc- 
ing eyes  shaded  with  thick  eyebrows ;  a  body  strong,  solid, 

*  The  cat,  dog,  and  weasel  families  of  the  carnivorous  animals  belong  to  the  digiti- 
gba.de  class ;  that  is,  they  walk  upon  the  toes  instead  of  the  soles  of  their  feet.  From  the 
Latin  digitus,  a  finger  or  toe,  and  gradi  to  walk.  For  the  plantigrade  class,  see  "Ani- 
mals of  the  Bear  kind,"  p.  162. 


108  WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER.  Part  III. 

and  active;  a  heavy  mane,  which  covers  his  neck  and 
shoulders ;  a  tail  with  which  he  can  strike  a  heavy  blow, 
and  with  which  he  lashes  his  sides  when  in  anger;  thick 
and  powerful  legs ;  and  feet  armed  with  claws  of  tremen- 
dous strength. 

3.  The  roaring  of  the  lion  is  loud  and  dreadful :  when 
heard  in  the  night  it  resembles  distant  thunder.  His  cry 
of  anger  is  more  shrill  and  piercing.  The  lion  of  Asia, 
and  of  Northern  and  Western  Africa,  is  of  a  yellowish- 
brown  color,  and  has  a  heavy  yellow  mane.  The  lion  of 
Southern  Africa  has  a  rounder  head  ,than  the  other,  is 
lower  in  stature,  and  has  a  black  shaggy  mane.  He  is 
called  the  black-maned  lion. 

4.  The  lioness  of  both  kinds  is  smaller,  and  more  slender 
and  graceful.3  She  displays4  more  agility  than  the  male ; 
she  has  no  mane ;  and  her  softer  features  indicate  a  more 
gentle  nature.  But  when  she  has  young,  and  finds  them 
in  danger,  she  is  the  most  furious  and  terrible  of  all  ani- 
mals. She  will  then  attack  men  or  beasts  in  any  numbers, 
and  defend  her  whelps5  to  the  last. 

5.  Although  the  lion  in  a  tame  state  has  a  noble  arid 
majestic  bearing,6  yet  he  shows  very  little  of  the  ferocity7 
of  the  wild  animal  roaming  free  in  his  native  plains.  Like 
all  animals  of  the  cat  kind,  he  is  usually  very  sly  and  cun- 
ning in  seizing  his  prey.  When  not  hungry  he  sometimes 
exhibits8  great  generosity9  to  animals  that  fall  into  his 
power ;  he  is  easily  disturbed,  and  often  runs  away  at  the 
sight  of  man ;  but  when  he  has  failed  to  obtain  hu  ordi- 
nary supply  of  food,  he  becomes  daring  and  reckless,10  and 
nothing  can  withstand11  his  fury. 

6.  In  Scripture  the  lion  is  sometimes  spoken  of  as  an 
emblem12  of  strength.  Jacob  compared  his  son  Judah  to  a 
lion,  to  denote  the  future  courage  and  power  of  his  tribe. 
The  devil  is  said  to  go  about  like  "  a  roaring  lion,  seeking 
whom  he  may  devour."  And  Jesus  Christ  is  styled  the 
"  lion  of  the  tribe  of  Judah,"  because  he  subdues  the  ene- 
mies of  his  church  and  people. 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


109 


i  Coue-a'-geotts,  brave ;  daring. 
a  Dis-tin'-guished,    separated    by    some 
mark  of  difference. 

3  Geace'-ful,  beautiful  in  form  and  mo- 
tion. 

4  Drs-PLAYS',  shows. 

5  u  Hee  whelps,"  her  young. 

6  Beae'-ing,  manner;  behavior. 


7  Fe-eoc'-i-ty     (fe-rossi-ty),    fierceness; 
cruelty. 

8  Ex-hib'-its,  shows. 

9  gen-ee-os'-i-ty,  kindness. 

i°  Reck'-less,  regardless  of  danger. 
1 1  With-stand',  successfully  oppose. 
i2  em'-elem,  that  which  denotes  something 
else. 


LESSON  II. 

ANECDOTES  OF  LIONS. 


Lion. 


1.  It  has  often  been  said  that  the  human  voice  has  great 
power  over  the  fiercest  animals;  and  probably -a  stronger 
proof  of  it  can  not  be  met  with  than  in  the  following  ad- 
venture which  is  told  by  Mr.  Gordon  Cumming,  who  spent 
five  years  in  Southern  Africa,  engaged  most  of  the  time  in 
hunting  the  wild  beasts  of  that  region. 

2.  "  I  fired,"  said  he,  "  at  the  nearest  lioness,  having 
only  one  shot  in  my  rifle.  The  animal,  which  was  but 
slightly  wounded,  wheeled  round,  and  came  toward  me, 
J  ashing  her  tail,  showing  her  teeth,  and  making  that  hor- 
rid, murderous,  deep  growl,  which  an  angry  lion  generally 
utters. 

3.  "Her  comrade  hastily  retreated.1  The  instant  the 
lioness  came  near  I  stood  up  to  my  full  height,  holding 
my  rifle,  with  my  arms  extended,  high  above  my  head. 
This  checked2  her  in  her  course ;  but  on  looking  round, 


110  WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER.  Part  III. 

and  missing  her  comrade,  and  observing3  my  companion 
slowly  advancing,  she  was  still  more  exasperated,4  and  ev- 
idently fancying5  that  she  was  near  being  surrounded,  she 
made  another  forward  movement,  growling  terribly. 

4.  "  This  was  a  moment  of  great  danger.  I  felt  that 
my  only  chance  of  safety  was  extreme  steadiness;  so, 
standing  motionless  as  a  rock,  with  my  eyes  firmly  fixed 
upon  her,  I  began  calling  to  her  in  a  loud  and  command- 
ing voice,  and  with  a  tone  indicative6  of  the  utmost  reso- 
lution and  courage. 

5.  "  The  lioness  once  more  halted  and  seemed  perplex- 
ed,7 looking  round  for  her  comrade.  I  then  thought  it 
prudent  to  retreat,  which  I  very  slowly  did,  talking  to  the 
lioness  all  the  time.  She  seemed  undecided8  as  to  her  fu- 
ture movements,  and  was  gazing  after  me  and  snuffing9 
the  ground  when  I  last  beheld  her." 

6.  It  has  been  said  by  those  who  are  acquainted  with 
the  character  and  habits  of  the  lion,  that  if  he  once  taste 
human  blood,  he  ever  after  thirsts  for  it.  So  strong  is  this 
opinion  in  India  that  it  is  not  deemed  safe  to  let  the  lion 
live  after  such  an  event,  whether  it  occur  by  accident  or  not. 

7.  An  officer  who  one  day  fell  asleep  with  his  left  hand 
hanging  over  the  couch,  was  awakened  by  his  young  pet 
lion  licking  him.  The  rough  tongue  brought  blood,  and 
the  officer  tried  to  withdraw  his  hand.  At  the  first  move- 
ment the  lion  gave  a  short  growl,  and  grasped  the  hand 
more  firmly,  upon  which  the  officer,  seeing  that  his  lion 
cub  had  become  suddenly  changed  from  a  domestic  pet  to 
a  wild  beast,  took  a  loaded  pistol  from  under  his  pillow 
with  his  right  hand,  and  shot  the.  animal  dead. 

8.  Numerous  stories  of  destruction  by  the  lion,  and  of 
escapes  from  him,  might  be  given,  until  they  would  fill  a 
volume ;  but  we  prefer  to  give  those  accounts  which  show 
some  striking  traits10  in  his  character.  It  is  believed  that 
all  animals  of  the  cat  kind,  having  once  overcome  their 
prey,  allow  them  to  live  a  certain  time  before  destroying 
them,  if  they  remain  quiet. 


1st  Div.of ZOOLOGY.-— THE   MAMMALIA.  Ill 

9.  During  this  period  it  has  often  happened  that  a  man 
who  has  been  struck  down  by  the  paw  of  a  lion,  and 
knowing  this  trait  in  the  lion's  character,  has  been  saved, 
either  by  plunging  a  dagger  into  the  heart  of  the  animal, 
or  by  the  timely  arrival  of  aid ;  when,  if  he  had  made  any 
forcible  resistance,  the  lion  would  have  killed  him  at  once. 

10.  Many  years  ago,  an  English  officer  in  India,  on  a 
hunting  expedition,  was  struck  down  by  the  paw  of  a  lion. 
On  coming  to  himself  he  found  the  animal  standing  over 
him.  Kecollecting  that  he  had  his  dirk  by  his  side,  he 
drew  it  out  of  the  case  in  the  most  cautious11  manner  pos- 
sible, and  by  one  happy  thrust  quite  through  the  heart  he 
laid  the  lion  dead  by  his  side. 

11.  Examples  of  affectionate12  attachment13  on  the  part 
of  lions  toward  their  keepers,  and  also  toward  other  ani- 
mals that  have  been  placed  in  their  power,  %re  not  uncom- 
mon. M.  Felix,  one  of  the  keepers  of  the  animals  of  the 
menagerie14  in  Paris,  became  so  ill  that  another  person  was 
obliged  to  perform  his  duty.  A  male  lion,  whom,  with  a 
lioness,  he  himself  had  brought  to  the  place,  remained 
constantly  at  one  end  of  his  cage,  and  refused  to  eat  any 
thing  given  him  by  the  stranger,  at  whom  he  often  roared. 
He  even  disliked  the  company  of  the  female,  and  paid  no 
attention  to  her.  The  animal  was  supposed  to  be  ill,  and 
yet  no  one  dared  to  approach  him. 

12.  At  length  M.  Felix  recovered,  and,  intending  to  sur- 
prise the  lion,  showed  his  face  between  the  bars  of  the 
cage.  In  a  moment  the  beast  made  a  bound,  leaped 
against  the  bars,  caressed  him  with  his  paws,  licked  his 
face,  and  trembled  with  pleasure.  The  female  also  ran  to 
him ;  but  the  lion  drove  her  back,  as  if  she  were  not  to 
receive  any  of  the  favors,  and  he  was  about  to  quarrel 
with  her.  The  keeper  then  entered  the  cage,  and  ca- 
ressed15 them  by  turns,  and  after  that  often  went  to  them, 
and  had  complete  control  over  them.  They  would  obey 
all  his  commands,  and  all  their  recompense16  was  to  lick 
his  hand. 


112 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  III. 


13.  A  curious  circumstance  took  place  at  New  Orleans 
a  few  years  ago,  when  a  bear  was  let  down  into  the  cage 
of  an  old  African  lion,  supposing  it  would  be  torn  in 
pieces.  The  bear  immediately  placed  himself  in  a  fighting 
posture,17  and  flew  at  the  lion;  but,  to  the  great  surprise 
of  all  present,  the  lion  placed  his  paw  upon  the  bear's 
head,  as  if  to  express  his  pity,  and  tried  to  make  friends 
with  him. 

14.  From  that  time  he  took  the  bear  under  his  protec- 
tion, suffered  no  one  to  approach  near  the  cage,  and  did 
not  sleep  till  he  was  exhausted,18  so  closely  did  he  watch 
over  his  new  friend.  He  suffered19  the  bear  to  eat,  but 
long  refused  food  for  himself,  and  as  long  as  they  were  al- 
lowed to  remain  together  he  continued  to  guard  the  bear 
as  jealously20  as  possible. 


1  Re-treat'-et>,  wiredrew  ;  went  away. 

2  Oiikck'ed,  partially  stopped. 

3  Ob-serv'-ing,  seeing. 

4  Ex-as'-per-a-ted,  made  angry. 

5  Fan'-gy-ing,  supposing. 

6  "  In-dig'-a-tTve  of,"  showing. 

7  Pek-plex'et),  not  knowing  what  to  do. 

8  Un-de-cI'-ded,  uncertain. 

9  SnCff'-ing,  smelling. 
'c  Traits,  features. 

1 '  €au'-tiocs,  careful. 


12  Af-feg'-tion-ate,  fond. 

n  At-taoii'-ment,  regard  ;  affection. 

14  M2N-£'-&B-B£E  (men-  (zh'-tr-e),  a  collec- 
tion of  hrute  animals. 

15  t'A-KES8'Er>,  treated  with  affection. 

16  Reg'-om-pense,  reward  ;  compensation. 

17  Pos'-tlke,  position. 

18  Ex-haust'-ep,  worn  out  with  watchrig. 
,q  SCf'-fkrep,  permitted. 

20  Jeal'-ous-ly,  with  suspicious  care. 


LESSON  III. 


A  LION  HUNT. 


1.  The  following  account  of  a  lion  hunt  in  India,  by 
some  English  officers,  farther  illustrates1  that  trait  in  the 
lion's  character  which  we  mentioned  in  the  last  lesson,  and 
shows  the  importance  of  the  utmost  coolness  in  dealing 
with  this  formidable2  animal.  The  tame  elephant  is  often 
used  in  hunting  the  lion  and  tiger. 

2.  "  After  vainly  spending  considerable  time  in  creep- 
ing through  the  grass  and  bushes,  with  the  hope  of  dis- 
covering the  place  of  the  lion's  retreat,  the  hunting-party 
concluded  that  he  had  passed  quite  through  the  jungle,3 
and  gone  off  in  an  opposite  direction.    Resolved  not  to  let 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


113 


their  game  escape,  Lieutenants  Delemain  and  Lang  return- 
ed to  the  elephant,  which  they  mounted,  and  immediately 
proceeded  round  the  jungle,  hoping  to  discover  the  route 
which  the  lion  had  taken. 

3.  "In  the  mean  time  Captain  Woodhouse  remained  in 
the  thicket,  and  as  he  could  see  the  print4  of  the  animal's 
foot  on  the  ground,  he  boldly  resolved  to  follow  up  the 
track  at  all  hazards.  Making  his  way  through  the  bushes, 
he  at  length  espied5  the  lion,  and  fired  at  him,  but  unfor- 
tunately missed  him. 

4.  "  There  was  now  no  way  left  but  to  retreat  and  load 
his  rifle.  Having  retired  to  a  distance,  he  was  joined  by 
Lieutenant  Delemain,  who  had  dismounted  from  his  ele- 
phant on  hearing  the  report6  of  the  gun.  This  unexpect- 
ed meeting  increased  the.  captain's  hopes  of  ultimate7  suc- 
cess. He  pointed  out  to  the  lieutenant  the  place  where 
he  would  probably  find  the  lion,  and  said  he  would  be  up 
with  him  in  a  moment  or  two. 

5.  "  Lieutenant  Delemain,  after  going  eight  or  ten  paces, 
discovered  the  lion,  and  fired  at  him.  This  irritated8  the 
mighty  king,  who  rushed  toward  the  lieutenant.  Captain 
"Woodhouse  now  found  himself  placed  in  an  awkward9  sit- 


114  WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER.  Part  III. 

uation.  He  was  aware  that  if  he  retraced  his  steps  to  put 
himself  in  a  better  position  for  attack,  he  would  just  get 
to  the  point  to  which  the  lion  was  going.  He  therefore 
resolved10  to  stand  still,  in  the  hope  that  the  lion  would 
pass  by  at  a  distance  of  four  or  five  yards  without  per- 
ceiving him,  as  the  intervening11  jungle  was  thick  and 
strong. 

6.  "In  this,  however,  he  was  deceived ;  for  the  enraged 
lion  saw  him  as  he  passed,  and  flew  at  him  with  a  dread- 
ful roar.  In  an  instant,  as  though  it  had  been  done  by  a 
stroke  of  lightning,  the  rifle  was  broken  and  thrown  out 
of  the  captain's  hand,  his  left  leg  at  the  same  moment  be- 
ing seized  by  the  claws,  and  his  right  arm  by  the  teeth  of 
his  desperate  antagonist.12 

7.  "Lieutenant  Delemain  ran  up,  and  discharged  his 
piece  full  at  the  lion ;  and  this  caused  the  lion  and  the 
captain  to  come  to  the  ground  together,  while  the  lieuten- 
ant hastened  out  of  the  jungle  to  reload  his  gun.  The 
lion  now  began  to  crunch13  the  captain's  arm ;  but  the 
brave  fellow,  notwithstanding  the  pain,  had  the  cool,  de- 
termined resolution  to  lie  still.  The  lordly  savage  let  the 
arm  drop  out  of  his  mouth,  and  quietly  placed  himself  in 
a  crouching14  position,  with  both  his  paws  on  the  thigh 
of  his  fallen  foe. 

8.  "  While  things  were  in  this  situation,  the  captain  un- 
thinkingly raised  his  hand  to  support  his  head.  No  soon- 
er, however,  had  he  moved  it,  than  the  lion  seized  the  lac- 
erated15 arm  a  second  time,  and  crunched13  it  as  before. 
This  was  a  warning  to  the  captain  that  he  had  been  very 
imprudent  in  stirring.  The  motionless  state  in  which  he 
remained  after  this  broad  hint  showed  that  he  had  learned 
to  profit  by  the  painful  lesson. 

9.  "  The  two  lieutenants  were  now  hastening  to  his  as- 
sistance, and  he  heard  the  welcome  sound  of  their  feet  ap- 
proaching ;16  but,  unfortunately,  the  lion  was  betwixt  them 
and  him.  Aware  that  if  his  friends  fired,  the  balls  would 
hit  him  after  they  had  passed  through  the  lion's  body,  the 


lit  Div.  op ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


115 


captain  quietly  said,  in  a  low  and  subdued17  tone,  '  To  the 
other  side !  to  the  other  side !' 

10.  "Hearing  the  voice,  they  looked  in  the  direction 
whence  it  proceeded,  and  to  their  horror  saw  their  brave 
comrade  in  the  utmost  danger.  Having  made  a  circuit,18 
they  cautiously  came  up  on  the  other  side ;  and  Lieuten- 
ant Delemain,  whose  coolness  in  encounters19  with  wild 
beasts  was  well  known,  from  a  distance  of  about  a  dozen 
yards  fired  at  the  lion  over  the  person  of  his  prostrate 
friend.  The  lion # merely  quivered;  his  head  dropped 
upon  the  ground,  and  the  next  moment  he  lay  dead  on 
his  side,  close  to  his  intended  victim." 


1  Il-lus'-trates,  makes  plain. 

2  For'-mi-da-ble,  to  be  feared. 

3  Jtjn'-gee,  a  thick  wood  of  small  trees  or 
shrubs. 

4  Print,  mark  made  by  pressure. 

5  Es-pi'ed,  discovered. 

6  Re-port',  sound ;  noise. 

7  ui/-ti-mate,  final ;  at  the  last. 
6  Ir'-ri-ta-ted,  enraged. 

9  Awk'-ward,  bad  ;  unpleasant. 

10  Re-3>Slv'ed,  determined. 


ii  In-ter-ve'-ning,  being  between. 
12  An-tag'-o-nist,  an  adversary, 
is  Crunch,  to  break  with  the  teeth. 

14  €roucii'-ing,  lying  close  to  the  ground. 

15  Lac'-er-a-ted,  mangled  ;  torn. 

16  Ap-prOach'-ing,  coming  near. 

17  Sub-dC'ed,  softened. 

18  Cir'-€uit   Qsur-Mt),  the   act  of  going 
round. 

19  En-€Oun'-ters,  contests. 


LESSON  IV. 


THE  LION  AND  GIRAFFE.  1 


1.  Wouldst  thou  view  the  lion's  den  ? 
Search  afar  from  haunts2  of  men, 
Where  the  reed-encircled  fountain 
Oozes3  from  the  rocky  mountain  ; 
By  its  verdure4  far  descried,5 

'Mid  the  desert  brown  and  wide. 

2.  Close  beside  the  sedgy6  brim,7 
Couchant8  lurks  the  lion  grim, 
Waiting,-  till  the  close  of  day 
Brings  again  the  destined  prey. 

3.  Heedless,  at  the  ambushed9  brink10 
The  tall  giraffe  stoops  down  to  drink ; 
Upon  him  straight  the  savage  springs 
With  cruel  joy.     The  desert  rings 


16 


WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER. 


Part  III. 


5. 


f». 


With  clanging  sound  of  desperate  strife ; 
For  the  prey  is  strong,  and  strives  for  life ; 
Now  plunging,  tries,  with  frantic  bound, 
To  shake  the  tyrant  to  the  ground ; 
Then  bursts  like  whirlwind  o'er  the  waste,11 
In  hope  to  'scape  by  headlong  haste : 
While  the  destroyer  on  his  prize 
Eides  proudly,  tearing  as  he  flies. 

For  life  the  victim's  utmost  speed 

Is  mustered12  in  this  hour  of  nee'd ; 

For  life — for  life — his  giant  might 

He  strains,  and  pours  his  soul  in  flight ; 

And,  mad  with  terror,  thirst,  and  pain, 

Spurns  with  wild  hoof  the  thundering  plain. 

'Tis  vain !     The  thirsty  sands  are  drinking 

His  streaming  blood ;  his  strength  is  sinking ; 

The  victor's  fangs13  are  in  his  veins ; 

His  flanks14  are  streaked  with  sanguine15  stains ; 

His  panting  breast  in  foam  and  gore16 

Is  bathed.     He  reels !     His  race  is  o'er. 

He  falls,  and  with  convulsive17  throe18 
Eesigns  his  throat  to  the  raging  foe, 
Who  revels19  'midst  his  dying  moans; 
While,  gathering  round  to  pick  his  bones, 
The  vultures20  watch,  in  gaunt21  array, 
Till  the  gorged22  monarch  quits  his  prey. 


i  <M-raffe'  ( ii-raff).     Fee  page  205. 

>  Hu;nt8  (like  c'i  in  far),  places  where 
men  resort. 

'•'  (  )o'zks,  flows  gently. 

<  Vkki>'-Cki:.  greenness ;  freshness  of  veg- 
etation. 

s  1  >e8-€hT'ei>,  seen;  discovered. 

■  SkdV-y,  overgrown  with  anlae,  a  coarse 
grass. 

7  BbTm,  the  edge  or  hrink  of  a  fountain. 

it '-ant,  squatting  down,  ready  to 
spring. 

9  AM'-nrsnED,  having  an  ambush  or  a  con- 
cealed enemy  near. 
10  BrTnk,  edge  or  border. 


Pringle. 

tl  "Waste,  desert. 
12  Mi  s'-Ti-.ni:i>,  exerted  ;  gathered. 
i:i  Fangs,  teeth. 

11  Fi.ankb,  the  sides  between  the  ribs  and 
hips. 

15  San'-gitine,  red;  bloody. 

16  GOBB,  blood. 

17  €on-vCi/-stve,  with  spasms. 

18  Throe,  violent  pang ;  agony. 

19  Rkv'-ei.s,  feasts  exultingly. 

'-'"  Vf  i.T'-fRics,  birds  that  feed  on  dead  ani- 
mals. 
2i  Gaunt  (like  a  in  far),  lean. 
22  Gor-Vep,  glutted  ;  filled. 


1st  Div.  of ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  117 


LESSON  V. 

THE  TIGER,  AND  OTHER  ANIMALS  OF  THE  CAT  KIND. 

1 


Scale  of  Feet 

1.  The  Tiger,  Felis  tigrls.     2.  The  Leopard,  Felu  leopardus. 

1.  Nearly  equal  to  the  lion  in  strength,  and  perhaps 
excelling1  him  in  activity,  the  tiger  has  generally  been 
placed  second  in  the  cat  tribe  of  animals.  He  is  found  ex- 
clusively2 in  Asia,  and  his  range  extends  not  only  over  the 
southern  part  of  that  continent,  but  to  the  neigboring  isl- 
ands also,  where  he  is  particularly  destructive.  He  is 
most  abundant  in  Hindostan.3 

2.  The  color  of  the  tiger  is  a  bright  tawny4  yellow, 
shaded  into  pure  white  on  the  under  parts,  with  broad 
black  stripes  on  the  back,  sides,  and  tail.  In  shape  the 
tiger  is  more  slender  than  the  lion,  although  of  nearly  equal 
length ;  the  head  is  rounder,  and  more  cat-like,  and  all  his 
motions  are  easy  and  graceful. 

3.  He  has  no  trace  of  the  shaggy  mane  which  adds  so 
much  to  the  bold  and  majestic  front  of  the  lion,  and  his 
ever-scowling  countenance  conveys  the  idea  of  treachery5 
and  wanton6  cruelty.  He  crouches7  and  springs  in  the 
same  manner  as  the  lion  and  other  animals  of  the  cat  kind ; 
he  seems  to  delight  in  blood  itself,  for  he  will  kill  several 
victims,  suck  their  blood,  and  leave  their  carcasses8  to  be 
devoured  by  other  beasts. 


118 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  IIL 


4.  The  most  striking9  difference  which,  is  observed  be- 
tween the  tiger  and  other  animals  of  the  cat  kind  consists 
in  the  difference  in  size,  and  the  different  marks  on  the 
skin.  The  leopards,  or  African  panthers,  and  the  Mexi- 
can and  Brazilian  jaguars,10  are  all  more  or  less  spotted, 


Brazilian  Jaguar,  Felis  onca. 

while  the  tiger  is  ornamented  with  long  dark  streaks  quite 
across  the  body.  The  skins  of  all  these  animals  are  valu- 
able. 

5.  The  puma,  or  cougar,11  sometimes  called  the  American 
lion,  and  known  also  in  the  United  States  by  the  several 

names  of  panther,  painter, 
and  catamount,  is  about 
five  feet  in  length,  has  a 
slender  body,  short  and 
s  stout  legs,  a  small  rounded 
head,  and  no  mane.  The 
color  of  one  species  is  of  a 
reddish  brown,  but  the  color  of  the  kind  that  was  once 
common  in  the  United  States  is  nearly  black. 

6.  The  American  panther  is  very  active  in  climbing 
trees,  from  which  he  springs  suddenly  upon   monkeys, 


The  Mack  Puma,  Felis  nigra. 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  119 

deer,  and  cattle,  as  they  pass  by.  He  commonly  flees  from 
man ;  but  if  wounded  slightly,  or  cut  off  from  his  retreat, 
he  will  turn  on  the  hunter  and  his  dogs  with  destructive 
fury.  He  is,  however,  sometimes  tamed,  and  then  he  be- 
comes harmless  and  affectionate.  In  South  America  he  is 
frequently  kept  chained  as  a  house-dog. 

7.  The  celebrated  actor  Kean  possessed  one,  which  fol- 
lowed him  around  loose,  and  was  often  introduced  to  com- 
pany in  his  drawing-room.  Another  that  was  kept  in 
London  made  its  escape  into  the  street  during  the  night, 
but  allowed  itself  to  be  taken  up  by  a  watchman,  and  led 
home  without  any  attempt  at  resistance. 

8.  The  wild-cats,  of  which  there  are  many  species  in 
different  countries,  are  smaller  than  the  tiger,  the  leopards, 
and  the  panthers ;  but  they  are  quite  similar  to  them  oth- 
erwise in  character,  habits,  and  general  appearance.  The 
lynxes,  which  look  very  ferocious,12  but  most  of  which  fly 
from  man,  are  distinguished  from  the  wild-cats  chiefly  by 
their  tufted  or  tasseled13  ears,  and  their  shorter  bodies  and 
tails.  The  fur  of  the  Canada  lynx  furnishes  the  most 
beautiful  materials  for  muffs  and  collars. 


Booted  Lynx,  Felis  caligata.      European  Lynx,  Felis  lynx.     The  Caracal,  Felis  caracal. 

9.  It  is  supposed  that  many  of  the  different  species  of 
wild-cats  have  been  tamed  at  different  times  in  different 
countries,  and  that  from  them  have  been  obtained  the  dif- 
ferent varieties1*  of  the  domestic15  cat  that  are  now  found 
in  all  parts  of  the  world.  These  varieties  are  now  numer- 
ous.    Among  the  most  noted  are  the  tabby  or  brindled 


120 


WILLSON'S  THIED   READER. 


Pakt  III. 


cat ;  the  Maltese,  of  a  bluish  hue ;  the  Spanish,  or  tortoise- 
shelled;  the  Angora,  which  has  long  silken  hair,-  the 
Egyptian,  and  the  Manx  cats. 


•  Ex-ckl'-ling,  surpassing. 

2  Ex-€ld'-sive-ly,  only. 

3  Hin -do-stan',   a    country  of  Southern 
Asia. 

*  Tawn'-y,  yellowish  dark. 

5  Treach'-er-y,  deceit ;  perfidy. 
ri  Wan'-ton,  excessive  ;  unrestrained. 
7  Crouch '-es,  lies  close  to  the  ground  when 
about  to  sTirinc 


s  €aV-€ASS-es,  dead  bodies. 

9  StrTk-'ing,  prominent ;  important. 
i°  Jag'-u-ar. 
ii  Cou'-gar  (cow'-gar). 
i2  Fe-eo'-cious,  fierce. 
13  Tas'-seled,  having  a  tuft  at  the  end. 
i*  Va-rT'-e-ties,  kinds. 
15  Do-mes'-tic,  tame;   belonging   to   the 
house. 


LESSON  VI. 

ANECDOTES  OF  THE  TIGER. 


The  Ocelot,  Felis  partialis.    Hunting  Leopard,  Felis  jubata.    The  Chati,  Felis  mitis. 

1.  A  soldier  in  India  was  one  day  sitting  in  a  garden, 
when  he  was  startled1  by  the  sudden  appearance  of  a  large 
tiger  before  him.  The  animal  stopped,  and  for  a  moment 
seemed  doubtful  about  making  an  attack  on  the  motion- 
less person  before  him. 

2.  His  hesitation,  however,  was  but  brief.  Uttering  a 
short  growl,  he  crouched  down,  and  was  in  the  very  act 
of  springing  upon  the  man,  when  the  latter,  taking  off  his 
large  grenadier's2  cap,  and  putting  it  before  his  face,  roared 
in  it  as  loudly  as  he  could.  The  noise  and  the  action  so 
surprised  the  tiger  that  he  turned  round,  and,  leaping  into 
the  neighboring  thicket,  disappeared. 

3.  There  is  an  account  of  a  young  tiger  which  was 
brought  in  a  vessel  from  China  to  England,  and  which  was 
so  tame  as  to  admit  of  every  familiarity  from  the  people 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE  MAMMALIA.  121 

on  board.     He  seemed  to  be  quite  harmless,  and  was  as 
playful  as  a  kitten. 

4.  He  frequently  slept  with  the  sailors  in  their  ham- 
mocks, and  he  would  also  suffer  two  or  three  of  them  to 
repose  their  heads  on  his  back,  as  upon  a  pillow,  while  he 
lay  stretched  upon  the  deck.  In  return  for  this,  he  would, 
however,  now  and  then  steal  their  meat.  Having  one  daj' 
carried  off  a  piece  of  meat  from  the  carpenter,  the  man  fol- 
lowed the  animal,  took  it  out  of  his  mouth,  and  beat  him 
severely  for  the  theft,  which  punishment  he  suffered  with 
all  the  patience  of  a  dog. 

5.  He  would  frequently  run  out  upon  the  bowsprit,3 
climb  about  like  a  cat,  and  perform  a  number  of  tricks 
with  astonishing  agility.  There  was  a  dog  on  board  with 
which  he  often  played  in  the  most  amusing  manner.  He 
was  only  a  month  or  six  weeks  old  when  he  was  taken  on 
board,  and  he  arrived  in  England  before  he  had  completed 
a  year. 

6.  The  immense  strength  of  the  wild  tiger  is  shown  by 
the  manner  in  which  he  frequently  throws  his  prey  over 
his  shoulder,  and  conveys  it  to  his  lair4  to  be  devoured. 
One  is  said  to  have  carried  in  this  manner  a  buffalo  which 
weighed  a  thousand  pounds.  Another  was  known  to 
break  the  shoulder  of  an  ox  with  one  blow  of  his  paw. 

7.  Captain  Brown  gives  the  following  account  of  the 
love  of  raw  flesh  shown  by  the  tiger,  even  when  he  has 
been  tamed.  The  tiger  referred  to  had  been  taken  when 
quite  young,  was  left  entirely  at  liberty,  and  appeared  as 
tame  as  a  dog.  At  length,  however,  when  he  was  fully 
grown,  he  began  to  inspire5  terror  by  his  great  powers  of 
doing  mischief. 

8.  One  day  a  large  piece  of  raw  meat,  dripping  with 
blood,  fell  in  his  way.  It  was  the  first  the  tiger  had  ever 
tasted,  but  the  instant  he  dipped  his  tongue  in  blood,  some- 
thing like  madness  seemed  to  seize  upon  him.  All  his 
native  fierceness  was  suddenly  aroused ;  he  darted  fiercely 
and  with  glaring  eyes  upon  his  prev,  tore  it  to  pieces  with 

F 


122 


WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER. 


Part  III. 


fury,  and,  roaring  in  the  most  fearful  manner,  rushed  at 
once  into  the  jungle. 

9.  We  close  our  account  of  the  character  and  habits  of 
the  tiger  with  a  well-known  story,  which  shows  that  this 
fierce  beast  is  capable  of  an  attachment  to  its  keepers  simi- 
lar to  that  often  shown  by  the  lion. 

10.  A  tigress  of  great  beauty,  from  Bengal,  was  extreme- 
ly docile6  on  her  passage  from  Calcutta,  and  being  allow- 
ed to  run  about  the  vessel,  she  became  extremely  familiar 
with  the  sailors.  On  her  arrival  in  London,  however,  after 
her  keeper  left  her,  she  became  so  irritable7  and  fierce  that 
she  was  placed  in  the  Tower,  where  she  for  some  time  con- 
tinued to  exhibit  a  sulky  and  savage  disposition. 

11.  One  day  the  person  who  had  charge  of  her  on  board 
the  ship  visited  the  Tower,  and  begged  permission  of  the 
keeper  to  be  allowed  to  enter  her  den,  to  which  he  at  last 
agreed,  though  with  much  reluctance.  No  sooner  did  the 
tigress  recognize8  him  than  she  fawned9  upon  him,  licked 
and  caressed  him,  exhibiting  the  most  extravagant  signs 
of  pleasure,  and  when  he  left  her  she  whined  and  cried  the 
whole  day  afterward. 


Start'-led,  suddenly  alarmed. 
Gren-a-dier'  (gren-a-deer'),  a  foot  soldier 
wearing  a  high  cap. 

Bow'-sprit  (bo'-sprit),  a  large  boom,  or 
spar,  extending  forward  from  the  stem 
or  fore  part  of  the  ship. 
Lair,  the  bed  of  a  wild  beast. 
In-bpiee',  cause ;  occasion. 


6  DO'-cile  (do'-siD,  teachable;  easily  man- 
aged. 

7  ir'-ri-ta-ble,  easily  made  angry. 

8  Rkc'-og-nIze     (rek'-og-nlze),    recollect; 
know. 

9  Fawn,  to  show  attachment  by  frisking 
about  one. 


LESSON  VII. 


ANECDOTES  OF  CATS. 


1.  Cats  are  the  smaller  examples  of  the  feline1  race,  but 
their  fur  is  longer  than  that  of  others,  and  they  bear  a 
greater  resemblance  to  leopards  and  tigers  than  to  lions. 
In  habits  and  manner,  the  wild-cats,  of  which  there  are 
many  kinds  in  different  countries,  "are  like  others  of  the 
race  to  which  they  belong,  living  in  the  woods,  sleeping 
most  of  the  day,  and  prowling  around  in  the  night. 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


123 


Common  Wild-Cat, 
Felis  catus. 


Species  op  Wild-Cats. 

Egyptian  Cat, 
Felis  maniculata. 


Himalayan  Serval, 
Felis  Himalayanus. 


2.  Their  powers  of  sight,  smelling,  and  hearing  are  truly 
wonderful.  They  do  not  hunt  down  their  prey  by  a  long 
chase  like  the  wolf  and  the  dog,  but  they  lie  concealed,  or 
creep  stealthily2  along,  and  with  a  short  growl  spring  sud- 
denly upon  their  victims. 

3.  The  domestic  cats,  like  the  wild  ones,  raise  their 
backs,  bristle  up  their  hair,  and  swell  up  their  tails  when 
angry.  They  will  sit  hour  after  hour  watching  at  the 
mouth  of  a  hole  for  a  mouse ;  and  after  seizing  their  prey 
they  will  bring  it  to  their  favorites  in  the  house,  evidently 
proud  of  what  they  have  done,  and  strutting  about  with 
an  air  of  great  satisfaction. 

4.  It  is  a  common  belief  that  cats  are  only  attached3  to 
places;  but  there  are  hundreds  of  well-known  cases  in 
which  they  have  shown  warm  and  enduring  attachment  to 
other  animals,  and  also^to  persons  who  have  treated  them 
with  kindness.  It  is  very  common  for  them  to  select  one 
member  of  a  family  on  whom  they  lavish4  all  their  fond- 
ness, while  they  treat  others  with  indifference. 

5.  A  lady  in  England  had  a  fine  Canary5  bird  to  which 
she  was  much  attached,  and  also  a  fayorite  cat.  The  bird 
was  allowed  to  fly  about  the  room  when  the  cat  was  not 
present.  Chance,  however,  discovered6  to  the  lady  that 
puss  was  as  fond  of  the  canary  as  the  lady  herself;  for,  to 
her  surprise,  on  raising  her  head  from  her  work  one  morn- 
ing,  she  saw  the  bird  perched7  upon  the  cat's  back,  with 
out  fear,  and  the  cat  evidently  delighted. 


124 


willson's  third  header. 


Part  III. 


6.  After  that  the  two  pets  were  allowed  to  be  daily 
companions.  Their  mistress,  however,  received  a  severe 
fright  one  day  on  their  account.  Hearing  a  slight  growl, 
she  looked  up,  and,  behold,  puss  had  seized  the  bird  in  her 
mouth  and  leaped  on  to  the  bed ;  her  tail  was  swelled  out, 
her  hair  erect,  and  her  eyes  as  large  as  four.  The  bird 
was,  of  course,  given  up  for  lost ;  but  the  mystery  was  soon 
explained.  The  door  having  been  accidentally  left  open, 
a  strange  cat  had  come  in ;  and  it  was  for  the  preservation 
of  the  bird  that  puss  had  seized  him ;  for,  as  soon  as  the  in- 
truder was  driven  away,  she  set  the  prisoner  at  liberty  un- 
hurt. 

7.  The  following  instance  of  maternal  courage  and  af- 
fection on  the  part  of  a  cat  is  recorded  in  the  cabinet  of 
Natural  History.  A  cat,  which  had  a  numerous  brood  of 
kittens,  one  sunny  day  in  spring  encouraged  her  little  ones 
to  frolic  in  the  sun  about  the  stable-door. 

8.  "While  she  was  joining  them  in  a  thousand  sportive 
tricks  and  gambols,  they  were  discovered8  by  a  large  hawk, 
which  was  sailing  above  the  barn-yard  in  search  of  prey. 
In  a  moment,  swift  as  lightning,  the  hawk  darted  upon  one 

of  the  kittens,  and  would 
quickly  have  borne  it  off 
had  it  not  been  for  the 
courageous  mother,  who, 
seeing  the  danger  of  her 
offspring,  sprang  at  the 
hawk  with  great  fury. 

9.  The  hawk,  to  de- 
fend itself,  let  fall  the 
prize.  The  battle  pres- 
ently became  seemingly 
dreadful  to  both  parties ; 
for  the  hawk,  by  the 
power  of  his  wings,  the 
sharpness  of  his  talons, 
and  the  keenness  of  his 


1st  Div.  op  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  125 

beak,9  had  for  a  while  the  advantage,  cruelly  tearing  the 
poor  cat,  and  actually  depriving  her  of  an  eye  in  the  con- 
flict. 

10.  Puss,  no  way  daunted10  by  this  accident,  strove  with 
all  her  cunning  and  agility  for  her  little  ones,  till  she  had 
broken  the  wing  of  her  adversary.  In  this  state  she  got 
him  more  within  the  power  of  her  claws,  the  hawk  still  de- 
fending himself  with  great  vigor ;  and  the  fight  continued 
with  great  fury  on  the  part  of  the  cat,  to  the  great  enter- 
tainment11 of  many  spectators. 

11.  At  length  victory  seemed  to  favor  the  nearly  ex- 
hausted mother,  and  she  availed  herself  of  the  advantage ; 
for,  by  a  sudden  exertion,  she  laid  the  hawk  motionless 
beneath  her  feet,  and  then,  as  if  exulting  in  the  victory, 
tore  off  his  head.  Disregarding  the  loss  of  her  eye,  she 
immediately  ran  to  the  bleeding  kitten,  licked  the  wounds 
inflicted  by  the  hawk's  talons,12  purring  while  she  caressed 
her  liberated  offspring  with  the  same  maternal  affection  as 
if  no  danger  had  assailed  them  or  their  affectionate  parent. 

12.  The  following,  from  a  recent  work,  we  give  in  the 
words  of  the  amusing  writer:  "A  little  black  spaniel  had 
five  puppies,  which  were  thought  too  many  for  her  to  bring 
up.  As,  however,  the  mistress  of  the  house  was  unwilling 
that  any  of  them  should  be  destroyed,  she  asked  the  cook 
if  she  thought  it  would  be  possible  to  bring  a  portion  of 
them  up  by  hand,  before  the  kitchen  fire.  In  reply,  the 
cook  observed13  that  perhaps  the  puppies  might  be  given 
to  the  cat  instead  of  her  kittens. 

13.  "  The  cat  made  no  objection,  took  them  kindly,  and 
gradually  all  the  kittens  were  taken  away,  and  the  cat 
nursed  the  two  puppies  only.  She  gave  them  her  tail  to 
play  with,  and  they  were  always  in  motion.  They  soon  ate 
meat,  grew  rapidly,  and  long  before  the  others  that  were 
left  with  their  own  mother,  they  were  fit  to  be  removed. 

14.  "  When  they  were  taken  away  the  cat  became  quite 
inconsolable.14  She  prowled  about  the  house,  and,  on  the 
second  day  of  tribulation,15  fell  in  with  the  little  spaniel 


126 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  III. 


who  was  nursing  the 
three  other  puppies. 
'  Oh,'  says  puss,  putting 
up  her  back,  '  it  is  you 
who  have  stolen  my 
children.'  '  No, '  replied 
the  spaniel,  with  a  snarl ; 
'  they  are  my  own  flesh 
and  blood.'  'That  won't 
do,?  said  the  cat.  Til 
take  my  oath  before  any 
justice  of  the  peace  that 
you  have  my  two  pup- 
pies.' 

15.  "  Thereupon  issue  was  joined ;  that  is  to  say,  there 
was  a  desperate  combat,  which  ended  in  the  defeat  of  the 
spaniel,  and  in  the  cat  walking  off  proudly  with  one  of  the 
puppies,  which  she  took  to  her  own  bed.  Having  left  this 
one,  she  returned,  gained  another  victory,  and  carried  off 
another  puppy.  Now,  it  is  very  singular  that  she  should 
have  taken  only  two,  the  exact  number  she  had  been  de- 
prived of." 


1  Fe'-ltne,  pertaining  to  cats.     From  the 
Latin  felis,  a  cat. 

2  Stealth'-i-ly,  slyly ;  unperceived. 

3  "  At-tach'ed  to,"  have  affection  for. 
*  Lav'-Isii,  bestow  freely. 

5  "Ca-na'-ry  bibd,"  a  singing  bird  from 
the  Canary  Isles. 

6  Dis-€6v'-eret>,  made  known. 

7  Percii'ed,  sitting,  as  a  bird  sits, 
a  Di8-c6v'-ered,  seen;  noticed. 


9  Beak,  the  bill  of  a  bird. 
10  Daunt'-ed  (daunt,  like  a  in  far),  check- 
ed by  fear, 
n  En-ter-tain'-ment,  amusement 

12  Tal'-ons,  claws. 

13  Ob-serv'ed,  said  ;  remarked. 

i*  In-con-sol'-a-hle,  not  to  be  consoled  ot 

comforted, 
is  Tbib-C-la'-tion,  severe  affliction. 


LESSON  VIII. 

THE  KITTEN  PLAYING  WITH  FALLING  LEAVES. 

1.  See  the  kitten  I  how  she  starts ! 
Crouches,  stretches  paws,  and  darts 
First  at  one,  and  then  its  fellow, 
Just  as  light  and  just  as  yellow ! 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  127 

2.  There  are  many  now ;  now  one ; 
Now  they  stop,  and  there  are  none : 
What  intenseness  of  desire 

In  her  upward  eye  of  fire ! 

3.  With  a  tiger  leap  half  way 
How  she  meets  the  coming  pre}7, 
Lets  it  go  as  fast,  and  then 

Has  it  in  her  paws  again ! 

4.  How  she  works  with  three  or  four, 
Like  an  Indian  conjurer  !l 
Quick  as  he  in  feat2  of  art, 

Far  beyond  in  joy  of  heart. 

5.  Were  her  antics3  played  in  the  eye 
Of  a  thousand  standers-by, 
Clapping  hands,  with  shout  and  stare, 
What  would  little  Tabby4  care 

For  the  plaudits5  of  the  crowd — 
Over  happy  to  be  proud, 
Over  wealthy  in  the  treasure 
Of  her  own  exceeding  pleasure  ? 

Wordsworth. 


1  €6n'-jit-ber  (bln'-ju-rer),  one  -who  plays 
tricks,  or  practices  strange  arts,  and  pre- 
tends he  is  aided  by  superior  powers. 

«  Feat,  any  act  of  skill  or  cunning. 


3  Xn'-tics,  queer  pranks  ;  gambols. 

4  Tab'-by,  a  name  for  a  cat;  a  brindled 
cat. 

5  Pt.aud'-it,  applause ;  praise  bestowed. 


LESSON  IX. 

THE    MENAGERIE. 

(A  COLLECTION  OP  WILD  ANIMALS  IN  CAGES.) 

1.  Within  the  precincts1  of  this  yard, 
Bach  in  his  narrow  confines2  barred, 
Dwells  every  beast  that  can  be  found 
On  African  or  Indian  ground. 
How  different  was  the  life  they  led, 
In  those  wild  haunts3  where  they  were  bred, 


128  WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Part  ni. 

From  the  tame  servitude  and  fear, 

To  which  proud  man  has  doomed  them  here ! 

2.  In  that  uneasy,  close  recess',4 
Couches5  a  sleeping  lioness"  : 

That  next  den  holds  a  bear" ;  the  next', 
A  wolf\  by  hunger  ever  vexedx : 
There,  fiercer  from  the  keeper's  lashes', 
His  teeth  the  fell  hyena  gnashes. 

3.  That  creature,  on  whose  back  abound 
Black  spots  upon  a  yellow  ground', 
A  panther  isr — the  fairest  beast 
That  roameth  in  the  spacious  East' : 
He,  underneath  a  fair  outside, 

Does  cruelty  and  treachery  hide. 

4.  That  cat-like  beast,  that  to  and  fro, 
Kestless  as  fire,  does  ever  go, 

As  if  his  courage  did  resent 
His  limbs  in  such  confinement  pent',6 
That  should  their  prey  in  forest  take. 
And  make  the  Indian  jungles7  quake', 
A  tiger  is\ 

5.  Observe  how  sleek 
And  glossy  smooth  his  coat' ;  no  streak 
On  satin  ever  matched  the  pride 

Of  that  which  marks  his  furry  hide. 

How  strong  his  muscles  !8  he,  with  ease, 

Upon  the  tallest  man  could  seize'; 

In  his  large  mouth  away  could  bear  him', 

And  into  thousand  pieces  tear  him' : 

Yet,  cabined9  so  securely  here, 

The  smallest  infant  need  not  fear. 

6.  That  lordly  creature  next  to  him 
A  lion  is\     Survey10  each  limb' ; 
Observe  the  texture11  of  his  claws', 
The  massy  thickness  of  those  jaws' ; 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


129 


His  mane,  that  sweeps  the  ground  in  length — 
Like  Samson's  locks,  betokening12  strength. 

7.  In  force  and  swiftness  he  excels 
Each  beast  that  in  the  forest  dwells^ : 
The  savage  tribes  him  king  confess 
Throughout  the  howling  wilderness\ 
Woe  to  the  hapless13  neighborhood, 
When  he  is  pressed  by  want  of  food^ ! 

8    Of  man',  or  child',  or  bull',  or  horse', 
He  makes  his  prey\  such  is  his  force\ 
A  waste  behind  him  he  creates, 
Whole  villages  depopulates  ;14 
Yet  here,  within  appointed  lines, 
How  small  a  grate15  his  rage  confines^ ! 

9.  This  place,  methinks,  resembleth  well 
The  world  itself  in  which  we  dwell. 
Perils  and  snares  on  every  ground, 
Like  these  wild  beasts,  beset  us  round ; 
But  Providence  their  rage  restrains ; 
Our  heavenly  Keeper  sets  them  chains ; 
His  goodness  saveth,  every  hour, 
His  darlings  from  the  lion's  power. 

Mrs.  Leicester. 


i  PrS'-cincts,  limits ;  boundaries. 

2  €8N'-FfNE»,  the  outer  limits  or  borders. 

3  Haunts  (like  a  in  far),  places  of  resort. 

4  Re-cess',  a  place  of  retirement  or  secrecy. 
'-  €orjCH'-Es,  lies  down  on  the  knees. 

6  Pent,  shut  up ;  confined. 

7  Jun'gle,  a  thick  wood  of  small  trees  or 
shrubs. 

8  MCs'-olhs,  the  fleshy  parts  of  the  animal. 


F2 


9  €ab'-ined,  confined. 
'"  Fur-vey',  examine, 
n  Text'-Cre,    form     and    arrangement ; 
structure. 

12  Be-to'-kex-ing,  indicating  ;  showing 

13  Hap'-less,  unlucky;  unfortunate. 

i*  De-pop'-u-lates,  deprives   of  inhabit- 
ants. 
Grate,  cross-bars  of  a  cage. 


130 


WTLLSON'S  THIRD   READER. 


Part  III. 


SECOND  DIVISION  OF  THE  CARNIVOROUS  OR  FLESH-EATING  QUADRUPEDS. 
— ANIMALS  OF  THE  DOG  KIND  :  EMBRACING  THE  DOGS,  WOLVES,  FOXES, 
JACKALS,  AND  HYAENAS. 

LESSON  X. 

ANIMALS  OF  THE  DOG  KIND. 


heate  of  Jfnet. 

1.  Red  Fox,  Canis  fulvus.  2.  Striped  Hyaena,  Cards  hycmomalis.  6.  Jackal,  Cams 
aureus.  4.  Common  American  Wolf,  Cania  lupus.  5.  Prairie  or  Barking  Wolf,  Cam's 
latrans. 

1.  The  principal  animals  of  the  dog  kind  are  the  wolf, 
the  fox,  the  dog,  the  jackal,  and  the  hyaena;1  and  all  of 
these,  like  the  lion,  the  tiger,  and  the  cats,  belong  to  the 
carnivorous,  or  flesh-eating  animals.  In  many  respects2 
all  the  animals  of  the  dog  kind  resemble3  each  other.  In 
some  countries  dogs,  as  well  as  wolves,  are  found  in  a  wild 
state ;  and  some  suppose  that  all  our  domestic  dogs  are  de- 
scended from  wolves  that  were  tamed  at  no  distant  day. 

2.  There  are  wolves  of  many  different  kinds,  and  they 
are  found  in  nearly  all  parts  of  the  world  that  are  not 
thickly  inhabited  by  man.  In  size  the  wolves  of  Europe 
vary  but  little,  and  in  strength  they  equal  or  surpass4  the 
largest  dogs.  Most  of  the  wolves  of  Europe  are  of  a  gray- 
ish color,  but  those  of  Spain  are  black.     Both  kinds  are 


IstDiv.OF.  .  .  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  131 

found  in  America.     The  American  prairie  wolf,  which  is 
of  an  ashy-gray  color,  greatly  resembles  the  shepherd's  dog. 

3.  There  are  wild  dogs,  also,  that  look  much  like  wolves. 
Some  suppose  that  they  were  always  wild;  and  others 
think  they  are  tame  dogs  that  escaped  from  man,  and  then 
became  wild.  These  wild  dogs  are  found  in  large  packs5 
in  Asia,  Africa,  and  in  some  parts  of  Europe,  and  also  in 
Mexico  and  South  America;  but  they  are  not  found  in 
the  United  States. 

4.  The  fox,  also,  is  an  animal  of  the  dog  kind.  He  is  a 
suspicious,  timid,  and  cunning  creature.  His  sight  is  keen ; 
and  his  smell  and  hearing  are  so  acute6  that  it  is  difficult 
to  take  him  in  any  kind  of  trap.  He  preys7  upon  poultry, 
rabbits,  geese,  and  turkeys;  and,  when  he  can  not  get 
these,  he  will  take  up  with  weasels,  mice,  frogs,  or  insects. 
He  is  fond  of  grapes  also. 

5.  The  jackal  is  about  the  size  of  a  large  fox,  and  looks 
much  like  a  small  wolf.  It  is  found  in  southeastern  Eu- 
rope, Asia,  and  Africa.  Like  the  wolf,  it  hunts  in  packs, 
pursuing  the  antelope  and  other  animals  for  prey.  It  is 
seldom  seen  in  the  daytime,  but  at  night  it  sallies  forth  for 
plunder,  and  keeps  up  a  constant  howling  until  daylight. 
It  has  all  the  cunning  of  the  fox,  and  the  energy  of  the 
dog. 

6.  The  hyaena,  of  which  there  are  several  varieties,  is  a 
ferocious,  ill-natured,  and  yet  cowardly  animal,  of  a  very 
disagreeable  appearance  on  account  of  his  sneaking8  look, 
and  the  smallness  of  his  hind  quarters  as  compared  with 
his  head  and  shoulders.  Yet  the  hyaenas  are  considered 
useful  in  some  countries,  as  they  prey  upon  dead  animals 

that  would  otherwise  be- 
come offensive  to  man. 

7.  Some  writers  place 
the  hyaenas  in  a  class  by 
themselves,  and  the  civet 
cats,  genets,  and  ichneu- 
mons   in    still    anothei 


132 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  III. 


class.  The  genet  slightly  resembles  the  cat,  and  in  Turkey 
is  sometimes  kept  tame,  as  it  is  useful  in  freeing  houses 
from  rats  and  mice. 


i  Hy-^'-na  or  Hy-E'-na. 

2  Re-spe€ts',  things ;  particulars. 

3  Re-sem'-ble,  to  be  like. 

*  Sub-pass',  excel ;  go  beyond. 


8  Packs,  crowds  ;  herds. 

6  A-€ute',  sharp  ;  good. 

7  "Pbey  upon,"  seize  and  devour. 

8  Sneak'-ing,  mean ;  crouching. 


LESSON  XI. 

CHARACTER  AND  HABITS  OF  WOLVES. 


Common  Jackal, 
Canis  aureus. 


Dusky  Canada  Wolf, 
Lupus  nubilus. 


Prairie  Wolf, 
Canis  or  Lupus  latrans. 


1.  So  numerous  are  the  accounts  which  are  given  of 
wolves — of  their  attacking  men,  horses,  and  cattle — of  the 
savage  ferocity  which  they  have  shown  in  some  cases,  ana 
of  the  attachment  to  their  keepers  which  they  have  often 
exhibited1  in  a  tame  state,  that  we  might  easily  fill  a  large 
volume  with  these  interesting  histories.  We  shall  select 
only  a  few,  and  shall  confine  ourselves  to  such  as  are  cal 
culated2  to  illustrate3  the  character  and  habits  of  these  ani 
mals. 

2.  In  some  parts  of  Europe,  and  especially  in  the  wood 
ed  and  mountainous  districts,  wolves  commit  great  depre 
dations4  when  suffering  from  hunger  in  the  winter  season 
They  then  not  only  attack  cattle,  but  they  waylay5  travel 
ers  in  the  forests ;  and  they  have  been  known  to  enter  vil 
lages  also,  and  even  there  to  attack  people  with  great  fury 

3.  In  thickly  inhabited  countries,  where  wolves  are  con 
stantly  hunted,  they  are  very  cautious  in  their  movements 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  138 

und  seldom  make  their  appearance  in  the  daytime.  When 
a  wolf  in  such  a  country  finds  he  is  discovered,  he  retreats, 
carrying  his  head  very  low,  with  one  ear  forward  and  the 
other  back,  so  as  to  catch  the  slightest  sound  from  either 
direction.  He  trots  crouching,  carrying  his  tail  on  the 
ground  so  as  to  brush  over  and  conceal  the  track  of  his 
feet ;  but,  when  he  has  fairly  got  to  a  place  of  safety,  he 
raises  his  tail  and  flings  it  up  in  triumph,  as  much  as  to 
say,  "  I  have  escaped  you." 

4.  Wolves  sometimes  show  as  much  sagacity6  as  the  fox 
in  securing  their  prey.  A  herd  of  deer  was  at  one  time 
feeding  where  there  was  a  rocky  precipice7  on  one  side  of 
them.  A  troop  of  wolves,  having  formed  a  semicircle  on 
the  other  side,  crept  slowly  toward  the  deer,  so  as  not  to 
alarm  them  suddenly,  and  thus  drove  them  gradually  to- 
ward the  edge  of  the  cliff;  then  they  all  at  once  set  up  the 
most  terrific8  yells,  when  the  deer,  in  their  fright,  threw 
themselves  into  the  chasm9  below.  The  wolves  followed 
them  at  leisure  by  a  safer  path  to  feed  on  their  mangled 
carcasses. 

5.  The  wild  horses  of  Tartary  often  successfully  resist 
the  attacks  of  whole  troops  of  wolves.  When  approached 
by  the  wolves  they  form  a  circle,  with  the  females  and 
young  on  the  inner  side.  The  horses  on  the  outside  then 
charge  upon  the  wolves,  striking  them  with  their  fore  feet, 
and  often  killing  many  of  them.  In  the  early  settlement 
of  the  United  States  the  cattle  often  repelled10  the  attacks  of 
wolves  in  a  similar  way,  by  forming  a  circle,  with  the  more 
powerful  on  the  outside,  who  presented  a  formidable11  ar- 
ray of  horns  to  the  ferocious  animals. 

6.  Notwithstanding  their  natural  fierceness,  wolves  lose- 
all  their  courage  when  once  in  the  power  of  man.  In  In- 
dia, where  they  are  often  taken  in  pitfalls,12  a  single  man 
will  go  down  into  a  pit  into  which  they  have  fallen  and 
bind  all  of  them.  The  same  peculiarity  of  the  wolf  is 
shown  in  the  following  account  related  by  Mr.  Lloyd  in 
his  "  Field  Sports  in  the  North  of  Europe." 


134  WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Part  III. 

7.  A  peasant  in  the  neighborhood  of  St.  Petersburgh 
was  pursued  by  eleven  of  these  ferocious  animals  while  he 

was  in  his  sledge.13  At 
this  time  he  was  only 
about  two  miles  from 
home,  toward  which 
he  urged  his  horse  at 
the  top  of  his  speed. 
At  the  entrance  of  his 
residence  was  a  gate, 
which  happened  to  be 
closed  at  the  time ;  but  the  horse  dashed  this  open,  and 
thus  his  master  and  himself  found  refuge  in  the  court- 
yard. 

8.  They  were  followed,  however,  by  nine  out  of  the 
eleven  wolves ;  but,  very  fortunately,  at  the  very  instant 
these  had  entered  the  inclosure,14  the  gate  swung  back  on 
its  hinges,  and  thus  they  were  caught  as  in  a  trap.  From 
being  the  most  ferocious  of  animals,  now  that  they  found 
escape  impossible,  they  completely  changed ;  and,  so  far 
from  offering  molestation  to  any  one,  they  slunk  into  holes 
and  corners,  and  allowed  themselves  to  be  killed  without 
resistance. 

9.  That  wolves  may  be  tamed,  and  that,  like  dogs,  they 
are  capable  of  lasting  attachment  to  those  who  have  treat- 
ed them  kindly,  is  shown  in  the  following  account  of  one 
that  was  kept  in  Paris. 

10.  This  animal,  which  was  brought  up  as  a  young  dog, 
became  familiar  with  every  person  whom  he  was  in  the 
habit  of  seeing,  and,  in  particular,  followed  his  master 
every  where,  obeying  his  voice,  showing  the  most  com- 
plete submission  to  him,  and  evincing15  grief  at  his  ab- 
sence. 

11.  His  master,  being  obliged  to  leave  Paris  for  a  time, 
presented  his  pet  to  the  menagerie,16  where  the  animal, 
confined  in  a  den,  continued  disconsolate,17  and  would 
scarcely  take  his  food.     By  degrees,  however,  his  health 


1st  DlV.  OF 


ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


135 


returned ;  he  became  attached  to  his  keepers,  and  appear- 
ed to  have  forgotten  his  former  master. 

12.  After  an  absence  of  eighteen  months  his  master  re- 
turned, and  visited  the  menagerie.  At  the  first  word  he 
uttered,  the  wolf,  who  had  not  perceived  him  among  the 
crowd,  recognized  him,  exhibited  the  most  lively  joy,  and, 
being  set  at  liberty,  lavished18  on  his  old  friend  the  most 
affectionate  caresses.  A  second  separation  was  followed 
by  similar  demonstrations19  of  sorrow,  wiich,  however, 
again  yielded  to  time. 

13.  Three  years  now  passed  away,  and  the  wolf  was 
living  happily  in  company  with  a  dog,  and  seemingly  at- 
tached to  his  keepers,  when  his  master  again  returned. 
The  still  remembered  voice  was  instantly  replied  to  by 
the  most  impatient  cries,  which  were  redoubled20  as  soon 
as  the  poor  fellow  was  set  at  liberty,  when,  rushing  to  his 
master,  he  threw  his  fore  feet  on  his  shoulders,  licking  his 
face  with  every  mark  of  the  most  lively  joy,  and  growling 
at  his  keepers  who  offered  to  remove  him.    . 

14.  A  third  separation,  which  soon  became  necessary, 
seemed  to  be  too  much  for  this  faithful  animal's  temper. 
He  became  gloomy,  desponding,  refused  his  food,  and  for 
a  long  time  his  life  appeared  to  be  in  danger.  His  health, 
however,  gradually  returned ;  but  he  no  longer  suffered 
the  caresses  of  any  but  his  keepers,  and  toward  strangers 
manifested  the  original  savageness  of  his  species. 


1  Ex-hTb'-it-ed,  shown. 

2  <Dai/-€U-i.a-ted,  adapted. 

3  Il-eus'-trXte,  make  plain  or  known. 

4  Dep-re-da'-tion,  robbing ;  pillaging. 

5  Way-lay',  lie  in  ambush  for. 

6  Sa-gac'-i-ty,  quickness  of  thought ;  cun- 
ning; intelligence. 

7  Pkeo'-i-pice,  a  steep  descent. 
6  Ter-rtf'-ic,  frightful. 

9  €iia*m,  a  deep  cleft ;  a  hollow. 
,0  Re-vei/eed,  drove  back ;  resisted. 
1 1   FSr'-mi-da-ble,  to  be  feared. 
i2  Pit'-fale,  a  concealed  pit  for  catching 
wild  boasts. 


13  SlSdsk,  a  kind  of  sled. 

i*  In-€iaV-sure,  a  space  inclosed  or  fenced 
in. 

!5  E-vin'-cing,  showing  clearly ;  manifest- 
ing. 

16  Men-a'-ge-rie  (men-azh-er-e),  a  place  in 
which  wild  animals  are  kept. 

i7  Dis-€on'-so-late,  sorrowful ;  without 
comfort. 

is  Lav'-ish,  to  bestow  freely. 

19  Dem-on-stra'-tions,  evidences  ;  exhibi 
tions. 

,0  Ke-doub'lep,  greatly  increased. 


136 


/ 


WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER. 


LESSON  XII. 


Part  III. 


THE  FIDDLER  AND  THE  WOLVES. 

1.  In  the  early  history  of  Kentucky  the  gray  wolves 
were  very  common ;  the  poultry  suffered  from  them  to  a 
great  extent;  pigs  and  calves  were  occasionally  carried 
off  by  them ;  and  it  was  no  unusual  thing  for  the  belated 
footman,  at  such  times  as  the  wolves  were  pressed  by  hun- 
ger in  the  winter  season,  to  find  himself  surrounded  by  a 
herd  of  them  in  the  woods. 

2.  It  was  on  the  occasion  of  a  wedding  festival1  among 
the  colored  gentry  of  a  Kentucky  plantation2  that  Old 
Dick,  the  negro  fiddler,  was  sent  for,  a  distance  of  some 
six  miles,  to  officiate3  as  master  of  ceremonies.  It  was 
early  in  spring,  at  the  close  of  a  hard  winter,  and  the  snow 
still  lay  thick  upon  the  ground. 

3.  Fiddle  in  hand,  Dick  started  for  the  wedding  soon 
after  sunset.  The  moon  was  out,  and  the  stars  twinkled 
merrily  overhead  as  the  old  man  trudged  along  over  the 
crisp4  and  crackling  snow.  The  path,  which  was  a  nar- 
row one,  led,  for  the  greater  part  of  the  way,  through  the 


1st  Div.  op ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  137 

dark  shadows  of  a  thick  forest,  which  yet  remained  as  wild 
as  when  the  Indians  roamed  it,  and  was  untraversed5  by  a 
wagon-road  for  many  miles. 

4.  Dick  was  hurrying  rapidly  onward,  his  only  anxiety 
not  to  be  late  at  the  festival,  and  he  was  already  in  the 
very  depth  of  the  forest,  when  the  distant  howl  of  a  wolf 
reached  his  ear.  It  was  answered  by  another,  and  that  by 
a  third,  all  at  first  sounding  faintly  in  the  distance ;  but 
gradually  they  grew  louder  and  nearer;  the  very  woods 
seemed  to  the  old  man  to  be  literally  alive  with  the  hun- 
gry curs  as  they  gathered  in  yelling  packs  from  far  and 
near;  and  ere  long  he  could  hear  them  in  the  crackling 
bushes  on  each  side  of  him,  as  they  ran  along  to  keep 
pace  with  his  rapid  steps. 

5.  Wolves  are  cautious  about  attacking  a  human  being 
at  once,  but  usually  require  some  little  time  to  work  them- 
selves up  to  the  point.  That  such  was  the  case  now 
proved  very  lucky  for  poor  Dick,  who  began  to  realize  the 
horrible  danger  he  was  in,  as  a  dark  object  would  brush 
past  his  legs  every  few  moments,  with  a  snapping  sound 
like  the  ring  of  a  steel  trap,  while  the  yells  and  patter6  of 
the  gathering  herd  increased  with  terrible  rapidity. 

6.  Dick  knew  enough  of  the  habits  of  the  animal  to  be 
fully  aware  that  to  run  would  insure  his  instant  death,  as 
the  cowardly  pack  would  be  sure  to  set  upon  him  in  a 
body  on  the  instant  of  observing  any  such  indication7  of 
fear.  His  only  chance  was  to  keep  them  at  bay8  by  pre- 
serving the  utmost  steadiness  until  he  could  reach  the 
open  ground  before  him,  when  he  hoped  they  might  leave 
him,  as  they  do  not  like  to  attack  in  the  open  field.  He 
remembered,  too,  that  an  old  hut  still  stood  in  the  middle 
of  the  clearing,  and  the  hope  of  reaching  that  inspired  him 
with  new  courage. 

7.  But  the  wolves  came  huddling  up  nearer  and  nearer 
to  him  every  minute,  those  in  the  rear  crowding  the  others 
forward,  and  the  poor  fellow  could  see  their  green  eyes 
glaring  fiery  death  upon  him  from  all  the  thickets  around. 


138  WILLSON'S  THIKD  READER.  Part  III. 

They  rushed  at  him  more  boldly  one  after  another,  snap- 
ping as  they  went  past  nearer  and  nearer  to  his  thin  legs ; 
indeed,  the  frightened  fiddler  was  compelled  to  thrust  at 
them  with  his  fiddle  to  turn  them  aside. 

8.  In  doing  so  the  strings  jarred,  and  Dick,  already 
trembling  in  despair,  took  new  hope  when  he  observed 
that  the  suddenness  of  the  sound  caused  the  wolves  to  leap 
aside  with  surprise.  He  instantly  drew  his  hands  across 
the  strings  with  vehemence,9  and,  to  his  infinite10  relief, 
the  wolves  sprang  back  and  aside  as  if  he  had  shot  among 
them.  Taking  immediate  advantage  of  this  lucky  diver- 
sion11 in  his  favor,  as  he  had  now  reached  the  edge  of  the 
clearing,  he  made  a  sudden  run  for  the  hut,  raking  his 
hands  across  the  fiddle-strings  at  every  jump,  until  they 
fairly  roared  again. 

9.  The  astonished  wolves  paused  a  moment  on  the  edge 
of  the  clearing,  with  tails  between  their  legs,  looking  at 
him ;  but  the  sight  of  his  flying  form  renewed  at  once 
their  savage  instincts,  and  with  a  loud  burst  of  yells  they 
pursued  him  at  full  speed.  He  had  broken  the  spell  by 
running ;  and  had  they  caught  him  then,  little  heed  would 
they  have  given  to  his  music ;  but,  luckily,  the  old  man 
reached  the  hut  just  as  they  were  at  his  heels,  and,  slam- 
ming the  rickety  door  behind  him,  he  had  time  to  climb 
out  on  to  the  roof,  where  he  thought  he  would  be  out  of 
danger. 

10.  But  the  wolves  were  now  furious ;  and,  thronging 
the  interior  of  the  hut,  they  leaped  at  him  with  wild  yells 
of  gnashing  rage ;  one  and  another  thrust  their  noses  up 
between  the  very  boards  of  the  roof,  and  it  was  with  diffi- 
culty that  Dick  could  keep  his  feet  from  the  reach  of  their 
steel-like  fangs.  With  the  energy  of  despair  again  he 
drew  his  fiddle-bow.  At  once  the  yelling  ceased,  and  the 
rage  of  the  curs  abated12  as  they  listened  to  the  subduing 
strains. 

11.  The  terror-stricken  but  astonished  fiddler  found 
himself  surrounded  by  the  most  attentive  audience  that  he 


1st  DlV.  OF 


ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


139 


had  ever  played  to  before.  His  terror  soon  gave  way  to 
professional  pride,  and  for  a  while  he  felt  excessively  flat- 
tered by  such  intense  appreciation.13  Yankee  Doodle, 
Hail  Columbia,  and  jigs  and  shake-downs  without  num- 
ber, were  played  with  a  skill  such  as  he  thought  he  had 
never  before  surpassed  or  even  equaled. 

12.  But  all  pleasures  have  their  drawbacks.  Dick  be- 
gan to  weary  even  of  his  own  fiddling ;  yet  he  could  not 
stop  a  moment  before  the  wolves  would  renew  their  clam- 
or and  be  at  him  again.  Thus  several  weary  hours  had 
passed,  when  the  negroes  at  the  wedding  came  out  to  look 
for  the  old  man.  They  found  him  on  the  top  of  the  hut, 
still  sawing  away  for  dear  life,  and  at  once  relieved  him 
from  his  comfortless  position. 

kept  back  in  a  state  of  ex- 


1  Fes'-ti-val,  a  merry-making. 

2  Plant-a'-tion,  a  farm. 

3  Of-fi"-oiate,  act. 

*  €eisp,  crumbling.  [over. 

6  Un-tbav'-ebsep,  not  traversed  or  passed 
6  Pat'-tee,  the  sound  of  their  quick  steps. 
i  In-di-ca'-tion,  evidence. 


8  "  At  bay, 
pectation. 

9  Ve'-he-mence,  great  force. 
io  in'-fi-nite,  very  great. 

1  *  Di-vee'-sion,  change  ;  a  turning  aside. 

12  A-ba'-ted,  diminished  ;  became  less. 

13  Ap-pbk-ct-a'-tion,  estimate  of  merit. 


lesson  xm. 

CHARACTER  AND  HABITS  OF  FOXES. 


Red  Fox  and  Cubs. 

1.  Many  are  the  stories  told  of  the  cunning  of  the  fox, 
of  the  remarkable  sagacity  in  taking  his  prey,  and  of  the 


140  WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Part  III. 

many  tricks  by  which  he  has  been  known  to  escape  the 
dogs  that  were  in  pursuit  of  him.  The  following,  selected 
from  a  large  number,  will  serve  to  illustrate,  in  some  meas- 
ure, the"  character  and  habits  of  this  wonderful  animal. 

2.  A  red  fox,  that  had  often  been  hunted,  had  always 
•  managed  to  escape  at  the  edge  of  an  abrupt  cliff1  which 

faced  the  Mississippi  Eiver.  The  place  had  often  been  ex- 
amined by  the  hunters ;  but,  as  the  descent  was  nearly  per- 
pendicular2 for  a  hundred  feet,  it  was  evident  that  the  fox 
could  never  have  escaped  in  safety  down  such  a  precipice. 

3.  At  last  a  hunter  determined  to  watch  the  fox,  and 
accordingly  lay  in  wait  for  that  purpose.  He  saw  the 
creature  come  to  the  edge  of  the  bluff  and  look  down.  A 
stout  shrub  grew  out  of  a  crevice3  a  few  feet  below,  and 
by  the  aid  of  this  the  fox  swung  himself  on  to  a  narrow 
ledge,4  which  proved  to  be  the  mouth  of  a  wide  opening 
in  the  rock. 

4.  The  most  curious  part  of  the  story  is,  that  the  hunter 
discovered  another  and  easy  entrance  to  the  cave  from  the 
level  ground  above.  This  the  fox  never  used  when  the 
hounds  were  on  his  track,  as  the  more  difficult  entrance 
down  the  cliff  completely  puzzled  the  dogs,  and  prevented 
the  discovery  of  his  retreat.  The  cunning  animal  only 
went  down  that  way,  and  came  out  by  the  other  opening. 

5.  A  Mr.  St.  John  relates  the  following  instance  of  the 
cunning  of  the  fox  in  taking  its  prey :  "  Just  after  it  was 
daylight  I  saw  a  large  fox  come  very  quietly  along  the 
edge  of  the  plantation.  He  looked  with  great  care  over 
the  turf  wall  into  the  field,  and  seemed  to  long  very  much 
to  get  hold  of  some  of  the  hares  that  were  feeding  in  it, 
but  apparently3  knew  that  he  had  no  chance  of  catching 
one  in  a  regular  chase. 

6.  "  After  considering  for  a  short  time,  he  seemed  to 
have  formed  his  plans.  He  examined  the  different  gaps6 
in  the  wall,  fixed  upon  one  which  appeared  to  be  most  fre- 
quented, and  laid  himself  down  close  to  it,  in  an  attitude7 
like  that  of  a  cat  at  a  mouse-hole. 


1st  Div.  of 


ZOOLOGY. — THE  MAMMALIA. 


141 


7.  "In  the  mean  time  I  watched  all  his  plans.  With 
great  care  and  silence  he  scraped  a  small  hollow  in  the 
ground,  throwing  up  the  sand  as  a  kind  of  screen  ;8  every 
now  and  then,  however,  he  stopped  to  listen,  and  sometimes 
to  take  a  sly  peep  into  the  field. 

8.  u  When  he  had  done  this,  he  laid  himself  down  in  a 
convenient  posture  for  springing  upon  his  prey,  and  re- 
mained perfectly  motionless,  with  the  exception  that  he 
occasionally  took  a  sly  peep  at  the  feeding  hares.  When 
the  sun  began  to  rise,  the  hares  came,  one  by  one,  from  the 
field;  three  had  already  come  without  passing  his  ambush,9 
one  within  twenty  yards  of  him,  but  he  made  no  move- 
ment beyond  crouching  more  flatly  to  the  ground. 

9.  "  Presently  two  came  toward  him,  and,  though  he  did 
not  venture  to  look  up,  I  saw,  by  a  slight  motion  of  his 
ears,  that  those  quick  organs  had  already  warned  him  of 
their  approach.  The  two  hares  came  through  the  gap  to- 
gether ;  and  the  fox,  springing  with  the  quickness  of  light- 
ning, caught  one  and  killed  her  immediately.  He  then 
lifted  up  his  booty,  threw  it  over  his  shoulder,  and  was 
carrying  it  off,  when  my  rifle-ball  stopped  his  course." 

10.  Many  authentic10  anecdotes  are  told  of  the  fox  feign- 
ing death  in  order  to  escape  from  his  persecutors.  One 
that  was  caught  in  a  trap,  and  then  handed  over  to  be 
worried  by  the  dogs,  soon  gave  every  appearance  of  being 
dead.  In  this  condition  it  was  taken  to  the  farm-house  to 
be  shown  to  a  lady  who  had  expressed  a  wish  to  examine 
it.  But  the  wily  fox,  who  had  been  duping11  his  perse- 
cutors all  the  while,  no  sooner  found  himself  laid  out  for 
inspection  in  the  back-yard  than  he  immediately  bounded 
to  his  feet  and  made  off,  to  the  great  astonishment  of  the 
spectators. 


1  €i.!ff,  a  high  and  steep  rock. 

2  Per-pen-dic'-u-lab,  straight  down. 

3  €rev'-tce,  a  crack ;  an  opening. 

4  Ledge,  a  platform,  or  projection  of  rock. 

5  Ap-par'-ent-ly  (ap-pair-ent-ly),  evident- 
ly- 


6  Gaps,  openings. 

7  at'-ti-tude,  position. 

8  Screen,  that  which  conceals  from  view. 

9  in' -bush,  hiding-place. 

io  Au-then'-tio,  true;  reliable. 
n  Dup'-ing,  deceiving ;  cheating. 


142 


LESSON  XIV. 


Egyptian  Fox.  American  Cross-Fox.  South  African  Fox. 

1.  The  following  amusing,  but  somewhat  marvelous1 
story  of  a  fox,  is  related  by  Mrs.  Child,  to  whom  it  was 
told  by  a  Quaker  of  New  Jersey,  who  said  it  was  related2 
to  him  by  a  Quaker  friend  who  was  an  eye-witness  of  the 
circumstances.3 

2.  This  friend  was  one  day  in  a  field  near  a  stream  where 
several  geese  were  swimming.  Presently  he  observed  one 
disappear  under  the  water  with  a  sudden  jerk.  While  he 
looked  for  her  to  rise  again,  he  saw  a  fox  emerge4  from  the 
water  and  trot  off  to  the  woods  with  the  unfortunate  goose 
in  his  mouth. 

3.  The  fox  chanced  to  go  in  a  direction  where  it  was 
easy  to  watch  his  movements.  He  carried  his  burden  to 
a  recess5  under  an  overhanging  rock ;  here  he  scratched 
away  a  mass  of  dry  leaves,  scooped  a  hole,  hid  his  burden 
within,  and  covered  it  up  very  carefully. 

4.  Then  off  he  went  to  the  stream  again,  entered  some 
distance  behind  the  flock  of  geese,  and  floated  noiselessly 
along,  with  merely  the  tip  of  his  nose  visible  above  the 
surface.  But  this  time  he  was  not  so  fortunate.  The 
geese,  by  some  accident,  took  the  alarm,  and  flew  away 
with  loud  cackling. 

5.  The  fox,  finding  himself  defeated,  walked  off  in  a  di- 
rection opposite  the  place  where  his  victim  was  buried. 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


143 


The  man  went  to  the  place,  uncovered  the  hole,  put  the 
goose  in  his  basket,  replaced  the  leaves  carefully,  and  stood 
patiently  at  a  distance  to  watch  farther 'proceedings. 

6.  The  sly  thief  was  soon  seen  returning  with- another 
fox,  that  he  had  apparently  invited  to  dine  with  him. 
They  trotted  along  merrily,  swinging  their  tails,  snuffing 
the  air,  and  smacking  their  lips  in  anticipation6  of  a  rich 
repast.7 

7.  When  they  arrived  under  the  rock,  Eeynard8  eager- 
ly scratched  away  the  leaves ;  but,  lo !  his  dinner  had  dis- 
appeared !  He  looked  at  his  companion,  and  plainly  saw, 
by  his  countenance,  that  he  more  than  mistrusted  whether 
any  goose  was  ever  there,  as  pretended. 

8.  His  companion  evidently  considered  his  friend's  hos- 
pitality9 a  sham,  and  himself  insulted.  His  contemptuous10 
expression  was  more  than  the  mortified  fox  could  bear. 
Though  conscious  of  generous  intentions,  he  felt  that  all 
assurances  to  that  effect  would  be  regarded  as  lies. 

9.  Appearances  were  certainly  very  much  against  him. 
His  tail  slunk  between  his  legs,  and  he  held  his  head  down, 
looking  sideways,  with  a  sneaking  glance,  at  his  disap- 
pointed companion.  Indignant  at  what  he  supposed  to  be 
an  attempt  to  get  up  a  character  for  generosity  on  false 
pretenses,  the  offended  guest  seized  his  unfortunate  host, 
and  cuffed  him  most  unmercifully. 

10.  Poor  Eeynard  bore  the  infliction  with  the  utmost 
patience,  and  sneaked  off,  as  if  conscious  that  he  had  re- 
ceived no  more  than  might  naturally  be  expected  under 
the  circumstances. 

11.  Quite  similar  to  the  story  told  by  Mrs.  Child  is  one, 
related  by  Mr.  St.  John,  of  a  fox  which,  by  taking  a  large 
mouthful  of  grass  in  his  jaws,  was  enabled  to  float  into  the 
midst  of  a  flock  of  ducks  without  causing  the  least  alarm. 


1  Mar1  -vel-otjs,  wonderful. 

2  Re-la'-ted,  told. 

3  Cik'-gum-stan-cbs,  facts  narrated. 

4  E-mer«e',  come  out. 

5  Re-oess',  opening ;  place  of  concealment. 

6  An-tic-i-pa'-tion,  expectation. 


i  Re-past',  meal ;  feast. 

8  Rey'-nab©,  the  name  by  which  a  fox  is 
often  called. 

9  Hob-pi-tal'-i-ty,    entertainment    of  a 
guest. 

10  €on-tewpt'-l-ou8,  scornful. 


144 


WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Part  IIL 


.    LESSON  XV. 

CHARACTER  AND  HABITS  OF  DOGS. 


1.  Newfoundland  Dog,  Canis  terrce-novce.  2.  Shepherd's  Dog,  Canis  domesticus.  §. 
Esquimaux  Dog,  Canis  borealis.  4.  The  Setter,  Canis  index.  5.  British  Greyhound, 
Canis  leporarius.  6.  Dog  of  the  North  American  Indians.  7.  Scotch  Terrier,  Cania 
terrariua.    8.  Mastiff  of  Thibet.    9.  English  Bull-dog,  Canis  Anglicus. 

1.  Of  all  the  carnivorous  or  flesh-eating  quadrupeds, 
dogs  possess  the  greatest  variety  of  modulations1  of  voice. 
They  bark,  bay,  howl,  yelp,  whine,  moan,  growl,  and 
snarl,  according  to  the  emotions2  they  feel.  While  on  the 
watch,  they  bark  to  drive  away  intruders ;  while  hunting, 
their  baying  is  the  language  of  authority  and  encourage- 
ment; their  howling  is  expressive  of  grief  and  lamenta- 
tion ;  they  yelp  with  sudden  pain,  and  moan  in  protracted3 
suffering;  they  whine  with  impatience;  their  growl  is  a 
note  of  warning,  and  they  snarl  in  anger. 

2.  The  attachment  of  dogs  to  their  masters  is  well 
known.  Their  fidelity4  is  proverbial,  and  their  sagacity 
is  truly  wonderful.  Such  qualities  in  brutes,  given  them 
by  the  Creator  for  wise  purposes,  can  not  fail  to  interest 
us  in  the  studv  of  their  character  and  habits,  and  certain- 


1st  Div.  of ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  145 

ly  they  should  call  forth  for  Xhe  poor  animals  our  sympa- 
thy and  affection. 

3.  The  sagacity  of  dogs  is  more  remarkable  in  some 
species  than  in  others ;  but  it  is  probably  owing,  in  great 
measure,  to  the  long  period  of  training  to  which  some, 
more  than  others,  have  been  subjected  by  man.  The 
Newfoundland  dogs,  and  the  mastiffs,  shepherd  dogs,  and 
some  of  the  setters  and  spaniels,5  are  among  the  most 
noted.     We  select  examples  of  a  few  of  these. 

4.  A  Newfoundland  dog,  by  the  name  of  Dandie,  which 
had  been  well  taught,  belonged  to  a  gentleman  of  Edin- 
burgh. He  would  select  his  master's  hat  from  a  number 
of  others,  or  his  pen-knife  from  a  whole  pack;  and  he 
would  also  bring  any  particular  article  which  he  was  told 
to  find,  thus  showing  that  it  was  not  smell  that  guided 
him,  but  an  understanding6  of  what  he  was  required 
to  do. 

5.  One  evening,  while  some  company  were  at  the  house 
of  the  owner  of  this  dog,  a  gentleman  accidentally  dropped 
a  shilling,  which,  after  diligent  search,  could  not  be  found. 
Dandie  had  been  sitting  in  a  corner  of  the  room,  without 
seeming  to  notice  what  was  going  on.  His  master  said  to 
him,  "  Find  us  the  shilling,  Dandie,  and  you  shall  have  a 
biscuit."7  The  dog  instantly  jumped  up  and  laid  the  shil- 
ling on  the  table.  He  had  picked  it  up  unperceived8  by 
any  of  the  party. 

6.  Several  gentlemen  were  in  the  habit  of  giving  Dan- 
die a  penny  a  day  each,  which  he  always  took  to  a  baker's 
and  exchanged  for  bread  for  himself.  One  day  one  of 
them  was  accosted9  by  the  dog  for  his  accustomed  present ; 
but  he  said,  "I  have  not  a  penny  with  me  to-day,  though 
I  have  one  at  home."  Having  returned  to  his  house,  some 
time  after  he  heard  a  noise  at  the  door;  it  was  opened, 
and  Dandie  sprang  in  for  a  penny. 

7.  By  way  of  frolic,  the  gentleman  gave  him  a  bad  one ; 
the  baker  refused  to  let  him  have  the  loaf  for  it ;  the  dog 

G 


146  WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Part  III. 

returned  to  the  door,  knocked,  and  when  the  servant 
opened  it  he  laid  the  penny  at  her  feet,  and  walked  away 
with  an  air  of  contempt. 

8.  One  Sunday,  when  it  was  very  unlikely  that  he  could 
have  received  a  present,  he  was  observed  to  bring  home  a 
loaf.  Surprised  at  this,  his  master  desired  the  servant  to 
search  the  room  for  money.  Dandie  seemed  quite  uncon- 
cerned till  she  approached  the  bed,  when  he  gently  drew 
her  from  it.  His  master  then  secured  him,  for  he  growled 
and  struggled;  and  the  servant,  continuing  the  search, 
found  seven  pennies  under  a  piece  of  cloth. 

9.  From  that  time  the  dog  could  not  endure  her,  and 
henceforth  hid  his  money  in  the  corner  of  a  saw-pit,  under 
a  heap  of  dust.  Dandie  always  escorted10  his  master's 
friends  home  when  desired  to  do  so,  however  great  the 
distance ;  and  when  they  were  safe  he  returned  to  his  own 
quarters. 

10.  The  following,  which  is  believed  to  be  a  true  story, 
is  an  excellent  example  of  the  sagacity  of  the  mastiff.  An 
English  gentleman  went  to  some  public  gardens  in  a  vil- 
lage of  France  with  a  large  mastiff,  which  was  refused  ad- 
mittance, and  the  gentleman  left  him  in  the  care  of  the 
guards  who  were  placed  there. 

11.  The  Englishman,  some  time  after  he  had  entered, 
returned  to  the  gate,  and  informed  the  guards  that  he  had 
lost  his  watch,  telling  them  that  if  they  would  permit  him 
to  take  in  his  dog  he  would  soon  discover  the  thief.  His 
request  being  granted,  the  gentleman  made  signs  of  what 
he  had  lost  to  the  dog,  who  immediately  ran  about  among 
the  company,  and  traversed11  the  garden,  till  at  last  he 
laid  hold  of  a  man. 

12.  The  gentleman  insisted  that  this  person  had  his 
watch ;  and,  on  searching  'him,  not  only  his  watch,  but 
six  others  were  discovered  in  his  pockets.  "What  is  more 
remarkable,  the  dog  took  his  master's  watch  from  the 
other  six,  and  carried  it  to  him. 


1st  Div.  of ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


147 


13.  The  benevolence12  of  dogs  generally,  but  of  the 
Newfoundland  variety  in  particular,  has   often   excited 
great  admiration.    A  child,  only  six  years  old,  playing  on 
a  wharf  with  a  New- 
foundland   dog   be- 
longing to  his  father, 

accidentally  fell  into 
the  water.  The  dog 
immediately  sprang 
after  the  child,  and, 
seizing  the  waist  of 
his  little  frock,  car- 
ried him  into  the  dock,  where  there  was  a  platform,  by 
which  the  child  held  on,  but  was  unable  to  get  on  the  top. 

14.  The  dog,  seeing  it  was  unable  to  pull  the  little  fel- 
low out  of  the  water,  ran  to  a  yard  near  by,  where  a  girl 
of  nine  years  of  age  was  hanging  out  clothes.  He  seized 
the  girl  by  the  frock,  and,  although  she  tried  to  get  away, 
he  succeeded  in  dragging  her  to  the  spot,  where  the  child 
was  still  hanging  by  its  hands.  When  the  girl  took  hold  of 
the  child,  the  dog  helped  her  in  pulling  it  out  of  the  water, 
and  then  jumped  into  the  stream,  swam  round  to  the  end 
of  the  wharf,  and  returned  with  the  child's  hat  in  its  mouth. 

15.  Motley,  in  his  history  of  the  Dutch  Eepublic,  tells 
how  the  life  of  William,  Prince  of  Orange,  was  saved  by  a 
faithful  spaniel.  During  a  sudden  night  attack  upon  his 
camp,  the  enemy  penetrated  to  the  tent  of  the  prince,  and 
killed  the  guards,  who  were  in  profound  sleep ;  but  a  little 
spaniel  which  the  prince  kept  near  him  sprang  forward, 
barking  furiously  at  the  sound  of  approaching  footsteps, 
and  arousing  the  prince  by  scratching  his  face  with  his 
paws.  The  prince,  who  barely  escaped,  ever  after  kept  a 
spaniel  of  the  same  race  in  his  bed-chamber. 


1  Mod-u-la'-tions,  changes  or  inflections 
of  voice. 

2  E-mo'-tions,  mental  feelings  or  impulses. 

3  Pro-tka€t'-ed,  continued. 
*  Fi-deiZ-i-ty,  faithfulness. 

5  Span'-iels  (span-yelz). 

6  Un-deb-stani>'-ing,  knowledge. 


7  BTs'-€tjtt  (bis'-kif). 

8  Un-pee-ceiv'ed,  not  noticed. 

9  A€-€ost'-ed,  addressed ;  spoken  to. 
10  Es-€oet'-ed,  attended  and  guarded. 
n  Tbav'-ebsed,  went  through. 

12  Be-nf.v'-o-lenoe,  kindness ;  disposition 
to  do  good. 


148 


WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Part  III. 


LESSON  XVI. 

THE  FRENCH  MERCHANT  AND  HIS  DOG. 


1.  II nad  of  Greyhound.     2.  Terrier.     3.  Shepherd's  Dog.    4.  Newfoundland  Dog. 
5.  English  Bull-dog.     6.  Mastiff  of  Thibet. 

1.  A  French  merchant,  having  some  money  due  him 
in  a  neighboring  village,  set  out  on  horseback,  accompanied 
by  his  dog,  on  purpose  to  receive  it.  Having  settled  the 
business,  he  tied  the  bag  of  money  before  him  on  his  horse, 
and  set  out  on  his  return  home.  His  faithful  dog,  as  if  he 
entered  into  his  master's  feelings,  frisked1  round  the  horse, 
barked,  and  jumped,  and  seemed  to  take  part  in  his  mas- 
ter's joy. 

2.  The  merchant,  after  riding  some  miles,  alighted  to  re- 
pose2 himself  under  an  agreeable  shade ;  and,  taking  the 
bag  of  money  in  his  hand,  laid  it  down  by  his  side  under 
a  hedge,  and,  on  remounting,  forgot  it.  The  dog,  perceiv- 
ing the  forgetfulness  of  his  master,  ran  to  fetch  the  bag, 
but  it  was  too  heavy  for  him  to  drag  along. 

3.  He  then  ran  back  to  his  master,  and,  by  whining, 
barking,  and  howling,  seemed  to  endeavor3  to  remind  him 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  149 

of  his  mistake.  The  merchant  did  not  understand  his  lan- 
guage ;  but  the  faithful  creature  persevered4  in  its  efforts, 
and,  after  trying  to  stop  the  horse  in  vain,  at  last  began  to 
bite  his  heels. 

4.  The  merchant,  absorbed5  in  deep  thought  as  he  rode 
along,  and  wholly,  forgetful  of  his  bag  of  money,  began  to 
think  the  dog  was  mad.  Full  of  this  suspicion,  in  cross- 
ing a  brook  he  turned  back  to  see  if  the  dog  would  drink ; 
but  the  faithful  animal,  too  intent6  on  his  master's  business 
to  think  of  itself,  continued  to  bark  and  bite  with  greater 
violence  than  before. 

5.  "  Mercy !"  cried  the  afflicted  merchant,  "  it  must  be 
so ;  my  poor  dog  is  certainly  mad :  what  must  I  do  ?  I 
must  kill  him,  lest  some  greater  misfortune  befall7  me ;  but 
with  what  regret !  Oh,  could  I  find  any  one  to  perform 
this  cruel  office  for  me !  But  there  is  no  time  to  lose ;  I 
myself  may  become  the  victim  if  I  spare  him." 

6.  With  these  words  he  took  a  pistol  from  his  pocket, 
and,  with  a  trembling  hand,  took  aim  at  his  faithful  serv- 
ant. He  turned  away  in  agony  as  he  fired,  but  his  aim 
was  too  sure.  The  poor  animal  fell  wounded,  and,  welter- 
ing8 in  his  blood,  still  endeavored  to  crawl  toward  his  mas- 
ter, as  if  to  tax  him  with  ingratitude.9 

7.  The  merchant  could  not  bear  the  sight.  He  spurred 
on  his  horse  with  a  heart  full  of  sorrow,  and  lamented  he 
had  taken  a  journey  which  had  cost  him  so  dear.  Still, 
however,  the  money  never  entered  his  mind ;  he  only 
thought  of  his  poor  dog,  and  tried  to  console  himself  with 
the  reflection  that  he  had  prevented  a  greater  evil,  by  dis- 
patching10 a  mad  animal,  than  he  had  suffered  a  calamity11 
by  his  loss. 

8.  But  such  thoughts  gave  him  little  satisfaction.  "I 
am  most  unfortunate,"  said  he  to  himself;  "I  would  al- 
most rather  have  lost  my  money  than  my  dog."  Saying 
this,  he  stretched  out  his  hand  to  grasp  the  treasure.  It 
was  missing;  no  bag  was  to  be  found.  In  an  instant  he 
opened  his  eyes  to  his  rashness  and  folly.     "  Wretch  that 


wo 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  III. 


I  am,"  said  he,  "I  alone  am  to  blame !  I  could  not  under- 
stand the  meaning  of  my  dog's  actions,  and  I  have  killed 
him  for  his  zeal.  He  only  wished  to  inform  me  of  my 
mistake,  and  he  has  paid  for  his  fidelity  with  his  life." 

9.  Instantly  he  turned  his  horse,  and  went  off  at  full 
gallop  to  the  place  where  he  had  stopped.  He  saw  with 
half  averted12  eyes  the  scene  where  the  tragedy13  was  act- 
ed ;  he  perceived  the  traces  of  blood  as  he  proceeded ;  he 
was  oppressed  and  distracted  ;14  but  in  vain  did  he  look  for 
his  dog ;  he  was  not  to  be  seen  on  the  road. 

10.  At  last  he  arrived  at  the  spot  where  he  had  left  his 
money.  But  what  were  his  sensations !  His  heart  was 
ready  to  bleed  at  the  sight  which  then  met  his  view.     The 

poor  dog,  unable  to 
follow  his  dear  but 
cruel  master,  had  de- 
termined to  give  his 
last  moments  to  his 
service.  He  had  crawl- 
ed, all  bloody  as  he 
was,  to  the  forgotten 
bag,  and  now,  in  the  agonies  of  death,  he  lay  watching  be- 
side it.     • 

11.  When  he  saw  his  master,  he  still  testified15  his  joy 
by  the  wagging  of  his  tail.  He  could  do  no  more ;  he  tried 
to  rise,  but  his  strength  was  gone ;  even  the  caresses  of  his 
master  could  not  prolong  his  life  for  a  few  moments.  He 
stretched  out  his  tongue  to  lick  the  hand  that  was  now 
fondling  him  in  the  agonies  of  regret,  as  if  to  seal  forgive- 
ness of  the  deed  that  had  deprived  him  of  life.  He  then 
cast  a  look  of  kindness  on  his  master,  and  closed  his  eyes 
in  death. 


1  FrTbk'ep,  leaped  about. 

2  Rk-posk',  rest. 

:!  I  .-.-dkav'-or,  attempt. 

i  I'kk-sk-v rit  i:i>,  continued. 

5  Ab-sSrb'ed,  wholly  occupied. 

6  In-tent',  earnestly  engaged. 

7  Bk-fat.t,',  happen  to. 

8  •*  Wf  tZ-teb-ing  ns,"  covered  with  ;  wal- 
lowing in. 


9  In-grat'-t-tCpe,  unthankfulness. 

10  His-patch'-ino,  killing. 

11  €a-lam'-i-ty,  great  misfortune. 

12  A-vkut'-ed,  turned  away. 

13  Trag'-e-py  (n  like  ?),  mournful  event. 

14  Dis-tract'-ed,  frantic  with  grief. 

15  Tes'-ti-fTed,  showed  ;  made  known. 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  151 


LESSON  XVLL 

THE  OLD  SHEPHERD'S  DOG. 


1.  The  old  shepherd's  dog,  like  his  master,  was  gray, 

His  teeth  all  departed,  and  feeble  his  tongue ; 
Yet  where'er  Corin  went  he  was  followed  by  Tray ; 
Thus  happy  through  life  did  they  hobble  along. 

2.  When  fatigued  on  the  grass  the  shepherd  would  lie 

For  a  nap  in  the  sun,  'midst  his  slumbers  so  sweet, 
His  faithful  companion  crawled  constantly  nigh, 
Placed  his  head  on  his  lap,  or  lay  down  at  his  feet. 

3.  "When  winter  was  heard  on  the  hill  and  the  plain, 

When  torrents  descended,  and  cold  was  the  wind,1 
If  Corin  went  forth  'mid  the  tempest  and  rain, 
Tray  scorned  to  be  left  in  the  chimney  behind. 

4.  At  length  in  the  straw  Tray  made  his  last  bed ; 

For  vain  against  death  is  the  stoutest  endeavor : 
To  lick  Corin's  hand  he  reared  up  his  weak  head, 
Then  fell  back,  closed  his  eyes,  and  ah,  closed  them 
for-ever. 

5.  Not  long  after  Tray  did  the  shepherd  remain, 

Who  oft  o'er  his  grave  with  true  sorrow  would  bend ; 
And  when  dying,  thus  feebly  was  heard  the  poor  swain  :2 
"  Oh  bury  me,  neighbors,  beside  my  old  friend." 

WOLCOTT. 

i  Pronounced   wind,  to    rhyme   with    be-  I  2  Swain,  one  employed  in  husbandry,  or  in 
hind.  »  I      tending  flocks. 


152 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  III. 


THIRD  DIVISION  OF  THE  CARNIVOROUS  OR  FLESH-EATING  QUADRUPEDS. — 
ANIMALS  OF  THE  WEASEL  KIND  :  EMBRACING  THE  WEASEL,  THE  ERMINE, 
THE  MINK,  THE  SKUNK,  THE  SABLE,  THE  MARTENS,  AND  THE  OTTERS. 

LESSON  XVIII. 

ANIMALS  OF  THE  WEASEL  KIND  (MUSTEL1DJE)* 


Scale  of  Ftet. 

1.  Pine  Marten,  or  Pine  "Weasel,  Martes  foina,  or  Mustela  martes.  2.  Brook  Mink, 
Mustela  lutreola,  or  Putorius  vison.  3.  Sable,  Mustela  zibellina.  4.  Common  Otter, 
Lutra  vulgaris.  5.  Stoat,  or  Ermine,  Mustela  erminea.  6.  Skunk,  Mephitis  Ameri- 
cana.   7.  Weasel,  Mustela  vulgaris. 

1.  This  division  of  the  carnivorous  quadrupeds  em- 
braces a  large  class  of  animals,  which  are  for  the  most  part 
of  small  size  and  slender  shape.  Their  relish1  for  blood  is 
strong;  and,  in  pursuing  their  prey,  they  are  bold,  cau- 
tious, and  resolute.2  They  creep  slyly  toward  their  victim, 
which  is  often  a  rabbit,  a  rat,  or  a  bird,  and  on  a  sudden 
dart  upon  it,  and  pierce  its  neck  with  their  sharp  teeth. 

2.  Among  the  animals  of  this  class  may  be  mentioned 
the  weasel,  the  stoat  or  ermine,3  the  skunk,  the  ferret,  the 
marten,  the  mink,  the  sable,  and  the  otter.  Some  writers 
place  the  genets4  in  the  same  class.f     The  most  interest- 


*  Muztelidce  (T,atin  Mustela,  a  weasel).     The  weasel  tribe. 

t  Some,  also,  the  ichneumons  (Herpestes)^  which  resemble  the  larger  weasels. 


The 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  153 

ing  of  these  animals  are  those  which  produce  valuable  furs. 
Thousands  of  the  ermine,  the  marten,  the  sable,  and  the 
otter,  are  killed  every  year  to  furnish  robes,  muffs,  tippets, 
and^collars,  which  we  see  worn  in  winter. 

3.  That  mischievous5  little  animal,  the  weasel,  which  is 
found  both  in  Europe  and  in  North  America,  frequents 
barns  and  out-houses  in  the  night  season,  where  mice  and 
rats  are  the  special  objects  of  its  pursuit.  If  the  weasel 
would  confine  its  plundering  to  these  little  rogues  who  steal 
from  the  granary6  and  the  corn-crib,  we  might  consider  it 
the  farmer's  best  friend  ;  but,  unfortunately,7  it  sometimes 
plunders  the  hen-roost,  when  the  morning's  light  shows  a 
general  slaughter8  of  the  poultry,  whose  throats  are  cut,  or 
heads  eaten  off.  The  color  of  the  weasel  is  of  a  reddish- 
brown.  Its  head  and  body  are  about  eight  inches  long, 
and  its  tail  three  or  four  inches.* 

4.  The  ermine  is  a  beautiful  and  lively  little  animal, 
very  much  like  the  weasel,  but  about  one  third  larger.  It 
changes  its  color  from  a  brownish-red  in  summer,  to  near- 
ly pure  white  in  winter ;  and  it  is  in  winter  that  its  fur  is 
most  valuable.  It  is  generally  called  the  stoat  in  summer, 
and  the  ermine  in  winter.  The  fur  of  the  ermine  is  in 
great  demand  for  tippets,  muffs,  and  other  articles  of  win- 
ter apparel.  It  was  once  used  almost  exclusively  for  lin- 
ing the  robes  of  princes,  nobles,  and  magistrates.  Thirty 
thousand  skins  of  the  ermine  have  been  sent  from  North- 
ern Asia  alone  in  one  season. 

5.  The  skunk  is  an  offensive  animal,  too  well  known  to 
require  any  description.  Most  of  the  weasel  tribe  have  a 
disagreeable  odor,  but  not  so  offensive  as  the  skunk.  From 
one  of  the  tribe,  however,  the  civet-cat,9  is  obtained  the 
civet,  which  is  used  as  an  agreeable  perfume.  Another 
animal  of  this  tribe  is  the  ferret,  which  is  long  and  slim 
like  the  weasel.     It  is  often  kept  tame  in  Europe,  where 


ichneumon  is   kept  tame  in   Egypt,  and  is  very  useful  in  destroying  rats,  mice,  and 
serpents,  and  the  eggs  of  crocodiles. 
*  The  New  York  weasel,  or  ermine  weasel,  is  larger  than  the  one  above  described. 

G2 


154  WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER.  Part  III. 

it  is  used  in  rabbit-hunting,  and  in  catching  rats  and  mice. 
It  can  not  endure  severe  cold. 

6.  The  marten,*  sometimes  called  in  this  country  the 
American  sable,  is  much  larger  than  the  weasel,  but  quite 
similar  to  it  in  form  and  habits,  with  the  exception  that  it 
seldom  approaches  the  dwellings  of  man.  It  climbs  trees, 
and  is  said  to  have  the  cunning  and  sneaking  character  of 
the  fox,  and  the  caution  and  voracity10  of  the  weasel.  It 
preys  upon  birds,  squirrels,  mice,  small  reptiles,  and  in- 
sects ;  and  it  is  said  to  be  fond  of  honey,  like  the  bear. 

7.  The  mink,  which  is  found  from  the  size  of  the  weasel 
to  that  of  the  marten,,  is  very  common  in  all  parts  of  North 
America.  Some  think  there  are  two  kinds,  the  common 
brook  mink,  which  is  the  largest,  and  of  a  brown  color ; 
and  the  mountain  brook  mink,  which  is  nearly  black.  The 
mink  is  a  cunning  and  destructive  little  rogue,  but  he  is 
not  quite  so  bad  as  the  common  or  ermine  weasel;  for, 
while  the  mink  is  satisfied  with  killing  one  or  two  fowls 
at  a  time,  and  making  a  hearty  meal  of  them,  the  weasel 
will  often,  in  a  single  night,  put  to  death  all  the  fowls  in 
the  poultry -house. 

8.  But  the  most  celebrated  of  all  the  weasel  tribe  is  the 
sable,  which  is  hunted  for  its  rich  glossy  fur  in  the  coldest 
and  most  desolate  regions.  In  color  the  fur  varies  from 
brown  to  a  jet  black,  but  the  black  is  considered  the  rich- 
est. It  is  the  only  fur  which  turns  with  equal  ease  in  any 
direction.  The  sable  is  found  in  the  northern  parts  of 
Europe  and  Asia.  Vast  numbers  of  them  are  killed  in 
Siberia,  and  their  skins  are  a  very  important  article  of 
commerce  among  the  Kussians.  The  true  sable  is  not 
found  in  America ;  but  it  is  the  pine  marten  which  is  often 
called  by  that  name. 

9.  The  common  otter, f  which  is  about  two  feet  long, 

*  There  is  also,  in  this  country,  another  marten,  the  Mustela  Canadensis,  called,  also, 
Pennant's  marten,  or  fisher,  but  better  known  as  the  black  fox,  or  black  cat,  of  the  north- 
ern hunters.  It  was  once  common  in  the  northern  and  middle  states.  Length  of  head 
and  body  nearly  two  feet ;  tail  about  fourteen  inches. 

t  The  Canada  otter  is  the  Lvtra  C'anrtdensix.  The  sea  otter  is  the  Fnhydra  marinrt. 
which  is  the  Mu*1ela  httrte  of  Linnseus.     A  few  years  ago  sea  otter  skins  of  the  best  fur 


1st  DlV.  OF 


ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


155 


and  its  tail  fifteen  inches  in  addition,  is  a  web-footed  ani- 
mal, adapted  to  swimming  and  diving,  living  upon  fish, 
and  spending  most  of  its  time  in  the  water.  The  Canada 
otter  is  more  than  three  feet  long,  and  the  sea  otter  often 
five  feet.  All  of  them  are  much  sought  after  for  their 
beautiful  furs.  When  taken  young  they  may  be  tamed, 
and  taught  to  catch  fish  for  others  as  well  as  for  them- 
selves. 


i  Rel'-ish,  appetite ;  liking. 

*  Res'-o-lCte  (rez'-o-lute),  determined. 

3  Ee'-mine  (er-mlri). 

4  &en'-ets  (jen'-ets). 

5  Mis'-chtev-ous   (mis' '-che-vus) ,  inclined 
to  do  mischief. 


6  Gban'-a-ey,  a  store-house  for  grain. 

7  Un-fSet'-C-nate-ly,  unhappily. 

8  Slaugh'-teb  (slaw'-ter),  violent  destruc- 
tion. 

9  Civ'-ET  (SiV'-lt). 

i°  Vo-BAo'-i-TY,  greediness  of  appetite. 


LESSON  XIX. 

ANIMALS  OF  THE  WEASEL  KIND :   THEIR  CHARACTER  AND  HABITS 
ILLUSTRATED. 

I.   THE  WEASEL. 

1.  The  weasel  is  a  very  courageous1  little  creature,  not 
fearing  to  attack  animals  much  larger  than  himself,  and 
even  man.  A  peasant  in  England  was  attacked  by  six 
of  them,  who  rushed  upon  him  when  he  was  at  work  in 
the  field.  Being  frightened  at  such  a  furious  onset,2  he 
fled ;  but  they  pursued  him  some  distance,  although  he  de- 
fended himself  with  a  stout  horsewhip.  He  then  seized  a 
large  club ;  and  it  was  only  after  he  had  killed  three  of 
them  that  the  rest  took  to  flight. 

2.  The  affection  of  the  weasel  for  her  young  renders  her 
very  bold  in  defending  them.  A  laborer,  while  standing 
in  a  foot-path  close  to  a  hedge,  perceived  a  weasel  with 
one  of  her  young  ones  in  her  mouth.  He  kicked  her,  and 
she,  dropping  it,  retreated  into  the  hedge.  He  then  stood 
over  the  young  one  with  a  stick  in  his  hand,  not  intend- 
ing to  kill  it,  but  merely  to  see  how  the  mother  would 
proceed. 


brought  30  or  40  dollars  apiece.    Audubon  was  asked  a  hundred  dollars  for  one  in  Cali- 
fornia. 


156  WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Part  in. 

3.  She  soon  peeped  from  her  hiding-place,  and  made 
several  efforts  to  get  at  her  young  one,  but  was  obliged  to 
run  into  the  hedge  again,  frightened  by  the  stick  which 
the  man  had  in  his  hand.  At  last  she  summoned8  up  all 
her  resolution,  and  in  spite  of  every  thing,  after  a  great 
deal  of  dodging  to  avoid  the  stick,  succeeded  in  obtaining 
the  object  of  her  affection,  and  bore  it  off  between  the  legs 
of  her  tormentor. 

4.  Weasels  sometimes  fall  a  prey  to  hawks ;  but  in  the 
following  instance,  narrated  by  Mr.  Bell,  the  cunning  of 
the  weasel  proved  to  be  more  than  a  match  for  its  power- 
ful enemy.     Mr.  Bell  says : 

5.  "Asa  gentleman  of  the  name  of  Pinder  was  riding 
over  his  grounds,  he  saw,  at  a  short  distance  from  him,  a 
hawk  pounce  upon  some  object  on  the  ground,  and  rise 
with  it  in  his  talons.4  In  a  few  moments,  however,  the 
hawk  began  to  show  signs  of  great  uneasiness,  rising  rap- 
idly in  the  air,  or  as  quickly  falling,  and  wheeling  irreg- 
ularly round,  while  he  was  evidently  endeavoring  to  free 
some  obnoxious5  thing  from  him  with  his  feet. 

6.  "  After  a  short  but  sharp  contest  the  hawk  fell  sud- 
denly to  the  earth,  not 

-^  far  from  Mr.  Pinder.  He 
instantly  rode  up  to  the 
spot,  when  a  weasel  ran 
away  from  the  hawk,  ap- 
parently unhurt.  The 
bird  was  found  to  be 
quite  dead.  The  weasel 
had  eaten  a  hole  through 

the  skin  under  the  wing,  and  the  large  blood-vessels  neai 

the  heart  were  torn  through." 

II.   THE   MINK. 

1.  The  mink  is  a  very  good  fisher;  but,  not  content 
with  fishing  for  himself,  the  sly  rogue  will  often  watch  the 
angler,6  steal  the  fish  which  he  has  laid  down  near  the 


1st  Div.  of ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  157 

stream,  drag  them  into  the  water,  and  devour  them.  The 
mink  will  also  catch  rats  and  mice,  and  carry  them  away 
in  its  mouth,  holding  them  by  the  neck,  in  the  manner  of 
a  cat ;  but  it  loves,  best  of  all  things,  to  prey  upon  the  ten- 
ants7 of  the  poultry -yard.  We  find  the  following  in  the 
work  of  Audubon.  The  place  mentioned  was  his  own 
residence  near  New  York  City. 

2.  "  There  was  a  small  brook,  fed  by  several  springs  of 
pure  water,  which  we  caused  to  be  stopped  by  a  dam,  to 
make  a  pond  for  ducks  in  the  summer,  and  ice  in  the  win- 
ter. On  the  very  margin8  of  the  pond  was  a  rough  bank 
of  stones,  near  which  the  ducks  were  compelled  to  pass  in 
descending  to  the  water. 

3.  "  Here  a  mink  had  fixed  its  quarters,9  with  a  degree 
of  judgment  worthy  of  high  praise,  for  no  settlement  could 
promise  to  be  more  to  his  mind.  At  early  dawn  the  cack- 
ling of  many  hens  and  chickens,  and  the  paddling,  splash- 
ing, and  quacking  of  a  hundred  old  and  young  ducks, 
would  make  music  to  his  ears;  and  by  stealing  to  the 
edge  of  the  bank  of  stones,  with  his  body  nearly  concealed 
between  two  large  pieces  of  broken  rock,  he  could  look 
around  and  see  the  unsuspecting  ducks  within  a  yard  or 
two  of  his  lurking-place.10 

4.  "  When  thus  on  the  look-out,  dodging  his  head  back- 
ward and  forward,  he  waits  until  one  of  the  ducks  has  ap- 
proached close  to  him,  and  then,  with  a  rush,  he  seizes 
the  bird  by  the  neck,  and  in  a  moment  disappears  with  it 
between  the  rocks.  He  has  not,  however,  escaped  unob- 
served;11 and,  like  other  rogues,  he  deserves  to  be  pun- 
ished for  having  taken  what  did  not  belong  to  him. 

5.  "We  draw  near  the  spot,  gun  in  hand,  and,  after 
waiting  some  time  in  vain  for  the  appearance  of  the  mink, 
we  cause  some  young  ducks  to  be  gently  driven  down  to 
the  pond.  Entering  the  water,  they  dive  for  worms  or 
food  of  various  kinds,  ignorant  of  the  danger  so  near 
them ;  intent12  only  on  the  objects  they  are  pursuing,  they 
turn  not  a  glance  toward  the  dark  crevice  where  we  can 


158 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  III. 


now  see  the  bright  eyes  of  the  mink  as  he  lies  concealed. 
The  unsuspecting  birds  remind  us  of  some  of  the  young 
folks  in  that  large  pond  we  call  the  world,  where,  alas ! 
they  may  be  in  greater  danger  than  our  ducks  or  chickens. 
6.  "  But  the  ducks  have  passed  a  little  beyond  the  reach 
of  the  mink ;  and  now  we  see  a  fine  hen  descend  to  the 
water.     Cautiously  she  steps  on  the  sandy  margin,  and, 

dipping  her  bill  in 
the  clear  stream,  sips 
a  few  drops,  and 
raises  her  head  to 
swallow  the  cooling 
beverage.13  She  con- 
tinues sipping  and 
advancing  gradual- 
ly ;  she  has  now  ap- 
proached the  fatal 
rocks,  when,  with  a 
sadden  rush,  the  mink  has  seized  her ;  but,  ere  he  can  re- 
gain his  hole,  our  gun's  sharp  crack  is  heard,  and  the  ma- 
rauder14 lies  dead  before  us." 


III.   THE  FERRET. 

1.  The  ferret,  which  is  a  native  of  Africa,  was  first 
brought  into  Spain,  and  there  employed  to  destroy  the 
rabbits,  which  were  so  numerous  as  greatly  to  injure  veg- 
etation. The  ferret  enters  the  holes  of  rabbits,  and  then 
kills  them  and  sucks  their  blood.  When  it  is  not  wanted 
to  kill  the  rabbits,  but  merely  to  drive  them  from  their 
hiding-places,  it  is  sent  into  their  holes  with  a  muzzle  over 
its  nose,  which  prevents  it  from  biting.  The  ferret  enters 
the  holes  of  rats  also,  and  destroys  them  as  it  does  rabbits. 

2.  A  gentleman,  who  was  surprised  that  the  ferret, 
which  is  not  a  remarkably  swift  animal,  should  be  so  de- 
structive to  the  rat  tribe,  determined  to  bring  a  rat  and  a 
ferret  together,  where  neither  could  escape,  in  order  to  see 
which  was  the  most  powerful.    For  this  purpose  he  select- 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  159 

ed  a  large  and  full-grown  rat,  and  also  a  strong  and  full- 
grown  ferret,  and  turned  them  loose  in  a  room  in  which 
was  no  furniture,  and  but  one  window. 

3.  Immediately  upon  being  liberated,15  the  rat  ran  round 
the  room,  as  if  searching  for  some  means  of  escape.  Not 
finding  any,  he  uttered  a  piercing  shriek,  and  then,  with  the 
most  prompt  decision,  took  up  his  station  directly  under 
the  light  of  the  window,  a  position  in  which  he  was  in  the 
shade,  while  his  adversary  would  have  to  advance  with 
the  light  directly  in  his  eyes. 

4.  The  ferret  now  erected  his  head,  smelled  around,  and 
fearlessly  push- 
ed his  way  to- 
ward the  spot 
where  the  scent 
of  his  game  was 
strongest,  facing 
the  light  in  full 
front,  instead  of 
creeping  by  the 
wall,  and  eagerly  preparing  to  seize  upon  his  prey. 

5.  No  sooner,  however,  had  the  ferret  approached  with- 
in two  feet  of  his  watchful  foe,  than  the  rat,  again  uttering 
a  loud  cry,  rushed  at  him,  and,  in  a  violent  attack,  inflict- 
ed a  severe  wound  on  the  head  or  neck  of  the  ferret,  from 
which  the  blood  was  soon  seen  to  flow  freely. 

6.  The  ferret  seemed  astonished  at  the  attack,  and  re- 
treated to  the  other  side  of  the  room,  while  the  rat,  instead 
of  following  up  the  advantage  which  he  had  gained,  in- 
stantly withdrew  to  his  former  station  under  the  window. 
Soon,  however,  the  ferret  recovered  from  the  shock  which 
he  had  sustained,16  and,  erecting  his  head,  again  took  the 
field. 

7.  The  second  meeting  was  in  all  respects  like  the  first, 
with  this  exception,  that  on  the  rush  of  the  rat  to  the  con- 
flict the  ferret  appeared  more  collected,  and  evidently 
showed  an  inclination  to  get  a  firm  hold  of  his  enemy. 


160  WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER.  Part  III 

The  strength  of  the  rat,  however,  was  prodigiously  great, 
and  he  repeatedly  succeeded  in  not  only  avoiding  the  dead- 
ly embrace  of  the  ferret,  but  he  inflicted  severe  wounds  on 
his  neck  and  head. 

8.  In  order  to  prove  whether  the  rat's  choice  of  position 
depended  upon  accident  or  not,  the  gentleman  managed  to 
drive  him  from  his  post,  and  took  his  own  station  under 
the  window;  but,  the  moment  the  ferret  attempted  to 
make  his  approach,  the  rat,  evidently  aware  of  the  advan- 
tage he  had  lost,  endeavored  to  creep  between  the  man's 
legs,  thus  losing  sight  of  his  natural  fear  of  man  in  view 
of  the  danger  which  awaited  him  from  his  more  deadly  foe. 

9.  The  ferret  by  this  time  had  learned  a  profitable  les- 
son, and  he  now  approached  the  rat  along  the  side  of  the 
room,  thus  avoiding  the  glare  of  light  that  heretofore  had 
baffled17  his  attempts.  The  rat  still  pursued,  with  the 
greatest  energy,  his  original  mode  of  attack,  striving  to  in- 
flict a  wound,  and  to  avoid  at  the  same  time  a  close  com- 
bat ;  but  it  soon  became  evident  that  he  had  lost  the  ad- 
vantage which  he  originally18  possessed. 

10.  At  last,  after  the  fight  had  lasted  more  than  three 
hours,  the  ferret  succeeded,  in  a  lengthened  struggle,  in  ac- 
complishing his  originally  intended  grapple;  when  the 
rat,  as  if  conscious  of  his  certain  ruin,  made  little  farther 
effort  at  resistance,  but,  sending  forth  a  plaintive  shriek, 
surrended  himself  to  his  persevering  foe. 

IV.    THE   OTTER. 

1.  The  otter  in  its  wild  state  is  often  very,  troublesome, 
by  destroying  the  fish  in  ponds  and  rivers ;  yet  it  is  some- 
times tamed,  and  taught  to  catch  fish  for  others.  Bishop 
Heber  mentions  that  he  saw  several  large  and  beautiful  ot- 
ters fastened  to  bamboo  stakes  in  China,  and  that  the  na- 
tives employed  them  in  fishing.  They  were  very  tame 
and  docile,  and  were  playing  with  each  other  when  he  saw 
them. 

2.  Early  writers  have  told  us,  also,  that  the  common  ot- 


1st  DlV.  OF  . 


ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


161 


ter  of  Europe  had  long  been  taught  to  catch  fish  for  its 
owners ;  that  in  the  houses  of  the  great  in  Sweden  these 
animals  were  kept  for  that  purpose,  and  that  they  would 
go  out  at  a  signal  from  the  cook,  catch  fish,  and  bring  them 
into  the  kitchen  to  be  dressed  for  dinner. 

3.  It  is  well  known  that  nearly  all  animals  have  their 
peculiar  sports.  A  singular  sport  which  the  otter  indulges 
in  is  one  which  children  are  very  fond  of — that  of  "  slid- 
ing down  hill."  Mr.  Godman,  in  his  account  of  these  sin- 
gular quadrupeds,  has  the  following  statement : 

4.  "Their  favorite  sport  is  sliding;  and  for  this  pur- 
pose, in  winter,  the  highest  ridge  of  snow  is  selected,  to 
the  top  of  which  the  otters  scramble,  where,  lying  on  the 
belly,  with  the  fore  feet  bent  backward,  they  give  them- 
selves a  push  with  their  hind  legs,  and  swiftly  glide  head 
foremost  down  the  bank,  sometimes  to  the  distance  of  sev- 
eral rods.  This  sport  they  seem  to  enjoy  greatly,  and  they 
continue  it  until  fatigue19  or  hunger  induces  them  to  de- 
sist."20 

5.  But  the  otters  not  only  have  their  sliding-places  in 
the  winter  season,  but  in  summer  also.  "  On  one  occa- 
sion," says  Audubon,  "  we  were  resting  on  the  bank  of 
Canoe  Creek,  a  small  stream  which  empties  into  the  Ohio, 
when  a  pair  of  otters  made  their  appearance,  and,  not  ob- 
serving us,  began  to  enjoy  their  sliding  pastime.21  They 
glided  down  the  muddy  surface  of  the  slide  almost  with 
the  rapidity  of  an  arrow  from  a  bow ;  and  we  counted 
each  one  making  twenty-two* slides  before  we  disturbed 
their  sport." 


i  Coub-a'-geotts,  brave. 

2  on'-set,  attack. 

3  Sum'-moned,  called  up. 

4  Tal'-ons,  claws. 

6  Ob-nox'-ious  "  (ob-nok'shus),    hateful 
hurtful. 

6  Ang'-eeb,  fisherman. 

7  Ten'-ants,  occupants. 

8  Mar'-gin,  border. 

9  Quab'-teks,  place  of  abode. 
i°  Lxjrk'-ing,  hiding. 


n  Un-ob-seev'ed,  unseen. 

12  In-tent',  eager. 

13  Bev'-ee-age,  drink. 

i*  Ma-baud'-er,  plunderer. 

15  Ltb'-eb-a-ted,  set  free. 

i6  Sus-taiu'ed,  suffered. 

17  Baf'-fled  (fiaf-fuld),  defeated. 

is  O-rig'-i-nal-ly  (7  like  j),  at  first 

is  Fa-tigue'  (fa-teeg),  weariness. 

20  De-sist',  stop. 

2i  Pas'-tIme,  sport ;  amusement 


162 


will-son's  third  reader. 


Part  III. 


FOURTH  DIVISION  OP  THE  CARNIVOROUS  OR  FLESH-EATING  QUADRUPEDS. 

ANIMALS  OF  THE  BEAR  KIND  :  EMBRACING  THE  BEAR,  THE  RACCOON, 

THE  BADGER,  THE  COATI,  THE  WOLVERINE,  THE  GRISON,  THE  PATEL, 
AND  THE  PANDA. 

LESSON  XX. 

ANIMALS  OF  THE  BEAR  KIND  (URSIDjE). 

2  i€>k 


Scale  of  Feet. 


1.  Grison,  Gulo  vittatu*.  2.  Raccoon,  Ursus,  or  Procyon  lotor.  3.  Badger,  Meles  Lab- 
radoria.  4.  Coati,  Nasua  monachus.  5.  Grizzly  Bear,  Ursus  ferox.  6.  Wolverine, 
Gulo  luscus.    7.  Panda,  Ailurus  fulgens.    8.  Ratel,  Ratellus  mellivorus. 

1.  The  animals  of  the  bear  kind,  and  such  as  are  simi- 
lar to  them  in  character,  are  the  bear,  the  badger,  the  coati, 
the  wolverine1  or  glutton,  the  ratel,2  the  panda,  and  a  few 
others.  These  animals  are  usually  slow  and  heavy  in  their 
motions;  they  place  the  whole,  or  nearly  the  whole,  of 
the  sole  of  the  foot  upon  the  ground  in  walking;*  and 
they  are  able  to  raise  themselves  on  their  hind  limbs,  and 
easily  keep  an  upright3  position. 

2.  The  largest  and  most  formidable4  of  the  bear  tribe  is 
the  bear  itself,  and  of  this  there  are  several  species,  such 
as  the  brown  bear  of  Europe,  the  American  black  bear, 

*  Hence  these  are  called  plantigrade  animals,  from  the  Latin  planta,  sole  of  the  foot, 
and  pradi,  to  walk.     For  the  dicriticirade  class,  see  note,  page  107. 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  163 

the  grizzly  bear  of  the  Kocky  Mountains,  and  the  white 
polar  bear.  They  differ  but  little  from  each  other,  except 
in  size  and  color.  When  they  attack  a  person  they  rise 
upon  their  hind  legs,  endeavor  to  seize  him  with  their 
claws,  and  then  hug  him  to  death. 

3.  The  grizzly  bear  has  been  known  to  measure  nine 
feet  in  length,  and  to  weigh  more  than  a  thousand  pounds. 
It  is  the  most  dangerous  of  all  North  American  quadru- 
peds. To  the  Indians  themselves  the  very  name  of  the 
grizzly  bear  is  a  terror ;  and  the  killing  of  one  is  esteem- 
ed5 by  them  equal  to  a  great  victory.  An  Indian  warrior 
is  proud  to  hang  upon  a  string  around  his  neck  the  claws 
of  a  grizzly  bear  which  he  has  killed. 

4.  The  raccoon,  which  is  found  in  all  parts  of  North 
America,  is  a  cunning  and  quite  a  handsome  animal,  neat 
and  gentle  in  its  movements,  and  is  easily  tamed.  It 
makes  a  pleasant  monkey -like  pet.  It  climbs  trees  with 
facility;6  it  eats  frogs  and  shell-fish;  it  will  occasionally 
seize  a  duck  from  its  nest ;  and  it  is  particularly  fond  of 
the  sweet  sugar-cane  and  green  Indian  corn. 

5.  The  American  badger  is  a  slow  and  timid  animal, 
having  a  thick  and  fleshy  body,  which  is  nearly  two  feet 
and  a  half  long.  It  makes  deep  burrows  in  the  earth,  in 
which  it  remains  during  the  winter.  It  can  not  easily  be 
dug  out  of  its  hole,  which  is  often  thirty  feet  in  length ; 
and  it  will  dig  faster  than  those  who  are  in  pursuit  of  it. 
In  some  of  the  western  prairies7  the  badger  holes  are  so 
thick  that,  when  the  ground  is  covered  with  snow,  they 
are  a  great  annoyance8  to  the  cattle. 

6.  The  other  animals  of  the  bear  kind,  such  as  the  coati, 
the  wolverine  or  glutton,  the  grison,  the  ratel,  and  the 
panda,  are  not  found  in  the  United  States.  The  coati, 
which  is  found  in  South  America,  is  much  like  the  raccoon. 
The  wolverine,  which  resembles  the  badger  in  size  and 
appearance,  is  found  only  in  northern  regions.  Its  fur  re- 
sembles the  fur  of  the  bear,  and  several  of  the  skins  sewed9 
together  make  a  beautiful  sleigh-robe.     The  grison,  the 


164 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  III. 


ratel,  and  the  panda  are  not  quite  so  large  as  the  badger. 
Their  general  appearance  and '  comparative  size  may  be 
learned  from  the  engraving  at  the  head  of  this  lesson. 


i  Wol-ver-ine'. 

2  Rat-el'. 

3  Up'-kight,  erect. 

*  For'-mi-da-ble,  to  be  feared. 
s  Es-teem'ed,  thought;  regarded. 
s  Fa-cil'-i-ty,  ease. 


'  Pbai-rtes,  large  tracts  of  land  destitute 
of  trees,  and  covered  with  tall  grass. 

8  An-noy'-ance,  trouble. 

9  Sew'ed  (sode),  fastened  with  needle  and 
thread. 


LESSON  XXI. 

THE  BEAR :  ITS  CHARACTER  AND  HABITS  ILLUSTRATED. 


I.   THE   GRIZZLY  BEAR. 

1.  There  is  scarcely  any  animal  which  is  more  tena- 
cious1 of  life  than  the  bear;'  and  the  chance  of  killing  one 
by  a  single  shot  is  very  small,  unless  the  ball  penetrates 
the  brain  or  passes  through  the  heart. 

2.  It  is  also  very  difficult  to  kill  the  bear  in  this  way, 
since  the  strong  muscles2  on  the  side  of  the  head,  and  the 
thickness  of  the  skull,  protect  the  brain  against  every  in 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  165 

jury  except  a  very  truly  aimed  shot ;  and  the  thick  coat 
of  hair,  and  strong  muscles  and  ribs,  make  it  nearly  as 
difficult  to  lodge  a  ball  in  the  heart. 

3.  When  the  bear  is  merely  wounded,  it  is  very  dan- 
gerous to  attempt  to  kill  him  with  such  a  weapon  as  a 
knife  or  an  axe,  or,  indeed,  any  thing  which  may  bring 
a  person  within  his  reach.  A  wounded3  bear  will  often 
turn  with  great  fury  upon  his  pursuers,  and  in  this  con- 
dition he  is  nearly  as  dangerous  as  the  lion  or  the  tiger. 

4.  In  the  expedition  of  Lewis  and  Clarke  to  the  Kocky 
Mountains,  many  years  ago,  several  grizzly  bears  were 
met  with  and  killed ;  but  in  several  cases  the  attack  was 
attended  with  considerable  danger,  as  the  following  inci- 
dent will  show. 

5.  One  evening  the  men  in  the  hindmost  of  Lewis  and 
Clarke's  canoes  perceived  a  grizzly  bear  lying  in  the  open 
ground  about  sixty  rods  from  the  river;  and  six  of  the 
men,  who  were  all  good  hunters,  went  to  attack  him.  Con- 
cealing themselves  by  a  small  eminence,4  they  were  able 
to  approach  within  eight  or  ten  rods  unperceived.  Four 
of  the  hunters  now  fired,  and  each  lodged  a  ball  in  his 
body,  two  of  which  passed  directly  through  the  lungs. 

6.  The  bear  sprang  up  and  ran  furiously  with  open 
mouth  upon  the  hunters,  two  of  whom,  having  reserved5 
their  fire,  gave  him  two  additional  wounds,  one  of  which 
broke  the  shoulder-blade  of  the  animal.  This  somewhat 
retarded6  his  motions,  but  before  the  men  could  again  load 
their  guns,  he  pursued  them  so  closely  that  they  were 
obliged  to  run  toward  the  river,  and  before  they  had  gain- 
ed it  the  bear  had  almost  overtaken  them. 

7.  Two  of  the  men  then  jumped  into  the  canoe;  the 
other  four  separated,  and,  concealing  themselves  among 
the  willows,  fired  as  fast  as  they  could  load  their  pieces. 
Several  times  the  bear  was  struck,  but  each  shot  seemed 
only  to  direct  his  fury  toward  the  hunters.  At  last  he 
pursued  them  so  closely  that  they  threw  aside  their  guns, 
and  jumped  from  the  bank  twenty  feet  into  the  river. 


166 


WILLSON'S   THIRD    READER. 


Part  III. 


8.  The  bear,  seemingly  now  more  furious  than  ever, 
sprang  after  them,  and  was  very  near  the  hindmost  man, 
when  one  of  the  hunters  on  the  shore  shot  him  through 
the  head,  and  finally  killed  him.  When  they  dragged 
him  on  shore  they  found  that  eight  balls  had  passed 
through  his  body  in  different  directions. 


II.  THE  POLAR  BEAR. 

1.  Although  the  female  polar  bear  is  as  rugged7  in  her 
appearance,  and  as  savagely  ferocious  in  disposition,  as 
any  of  the  species,  yet  to  her  offspring  she  displays  a  ten- 
derness of  affection  which  strongly  contrasts8  with  her 
fierce  and  sanguinary9  temper. 

2.  Numerous  instances  of  this  fondness  of  attachment 
have  been  observed,  some  of  them  attended  with  most  sin- 
gular displays  of  sagacity  on  the  part  of  the  mother.  The 
following  circumstance  is  related  in  Scoresby's  account 
of  the  Arctic  Eegions,  and  is  entitled  to  full  belief,  on  ac- 
count of  coming  from  so  competent  and  excellent  an  ob- 
server : 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  167 

3.  "  A  she-bicar  and  her  two  cubs  were  pursued  on  the 
ice  by  some  of  the  men,  and  were  so  closely  approached  as 
to  alarm  the  mother  for  the  safety  of  her  offspring.  Find- 
ing that  they  could  not  advance  with  the  desired  speed, 
she  used  various  artifices10  to  urge  them  forward,  but  with- 
out success. 

4.  u  Determined  to  save  them  if  possible,  she  ran  to  one 
of  the  cubs,  placed  her  nose  under  it,  and  threw  it  forward 
as  far  as  possible ;  then  going  to  the  other,  she  performed 
the  same  action,  and  repeated  it  frequently,  until  she  had 
thus  conveyed  them  to  a  considerable  distance.  Thus  aid- 
ed, the  cubs  were  enabled  to  escape  from  their  pursuers." 

5.  The  most  affecting  instance  on  record  of  the  maternal 
affection  shown  by  the  bear  is  related  in  Captain  Phipp's 
Voyage  to  the  North  Pole.  It  conveys  so  excellent  an 
idea  of  this  creature's  strong  feeling  of  parental  love,  that 
we  should  deem  the  history  of  the  animal  imperfect  if 
such  an  illustration11  were  omitted. 

6.  "Early  in  the  morning  the  man  at  the  mast-head 
gave  notice  that  three  bears  were  making  their  way  very 
fast  over  the  ice,  and  directing  their  course  toward  the 
ship.  They  had  probably  been  enticed  by  the  blubber  of 
a  sea-horse  which  the  men  had  set  on  fire,  and  which  was 
burning  on  the  ice  at  the  time  of  their  approach. 

7.  "They  proved  to  be  a  she-bear  and  her  two  cubs; 
but  the  cubs  were  nearly  as  large  as  the  dam.  They  ran 
eagerly  to  the  fire,  and  drew  out  from  the  flames  part  of 
the  flesh  of  the  sea-horse,  which  remained  unconsumed, 
and  ate  it  voraciously.12 

8.  "  The  crew  from  the  ship  threw  upon  the  ice  great 
pieces  of  the  flesh,  which  they  had  still  left.  These  the 
old  bear  carried  away  singly,  laid  them  before  her  cubs, 
and,  dividing  them,  gave  each  a  share,  keeping  but  a  small 
portion  for  herself.  As  she  was  carrying  away  the  last 
piece,  the  men  leveled13  their  muskets  at  the  cubs,  and 
shot  them  both  dead ;  and  in  her  retreat  they  wounded 
the  dam,  but  not  mortallv. 


168 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  III. 


9.  "It  would  have  drawn  tears  of  pity  from  any  bub 
unfeeling  minds  to  have  seen  the  affection  shown  by  the 
poor  beast  in  the  last  moments  of  her  expiring  young. 
Though  she  was  severely  wounded,  and  could  but  just 
crawl  to  the  place  where  they  lay,  she  carried  the  lump 
of  flesh  she  had  brought  away,  as  she  had  the  others  be- 
fore, tore  it  in  pieces,  and  laid  it  before  them ;  and  when 
she  saw  they  refused  to  eat,  she  laid  her  paws  first  upon 
one,  then  upon  the  other,  and  endeavored  to  raise  them  up. 

10.  "  All  this  while  it  was  piteous  to  hear  her  moan. 
When  she  found  she  could  not  stir  them,  she  went  off, 
and  when  at  some  distance  looked  back  and  moaned.  As 
this  did  not  succeed  in  enticing  them  away,  she  returned, 
and,  smelling  around  them,  began  to  lick  their  wounds. 
She  went  off  a  second  time,  as  before,  and,  having  crawled 
a  few  paces,  looked  again  behind  her,  and  for  some  time 

stood  moaning. 

11.  "But  still  her  cubs 
not  rising  to  follow  her,  she 
returned  to  them  again, 
and  with  signs  of  exceed. 
ing14  fondness  went  round 
first  one  and  then  the  oth- 
er, trying  to  raise  them  up, 
and  moaning.  Finding  at 
last  that  they  were  cold  and 
lifeless,  she  raised  her  head 
toward  the  ship,  and  growl- 
ed her  resentment  at  the 
murderers,  which  they  re- 
turned with  a  volley  of  musket  balls.  She  fell  between 
her  cubs,  and  died  licking  their  wounds." 


i  Te-na'-cious,  holding  fast;    not  easily 

parting  with. 
*  Mf  k'-ci. k«  (iinis-dz).  fleshy  parts. 

3  Wound' -ed,  hurt;  injured. 

4  km'-i-nknck,  elevation  5   height. 

5  Re-*khv'i:d,  kept  back;  retained. 

6  Re-taiu>'-i.i>,  rendered  more  slow. 

7  KCo'-qed,  rough. 


8  "  Con-trabts  witii,"  differs  from. 

9  San'-gui-na-by,  cruel ;  blood-thirsty. 
i°  Xr'-ti-ki-ces,  artful  means  or  devices. 
11  Il-lus-tba'-tion,  that  which  illustrates 

or  makes  plainer. 
!3  Vo-ba'-cious-ly,  greedily  ;  ravenously. 

13  Lev'-eled,  aimed ;  pointed. 

14  Ex-ceed'-ing,  very  great ;  excessive. 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


169 


FIFTH  DIVISION  OF  THE  CARNIVOROUS  OR  FLESH-EATING  QUADRUPEDS. — 
ANIMALS  OF  THE  SEAL  KIND  :  EMBRACING  THE  COMMON  SEALS,  THE  SEA- 
LION,  SEA-BEAR,  AND  WALRUS. 

LESSON  XXII. 

ANIMALS  OF  THE  SEAL  KIND  {JPHOCIDM. 


&caie  of  Feet. 


1.  Common  Seal,  Phoca  vitulina.    2.  Sea-Bear,  Phoca  ursina.    3.  Sea-Lion,  Phoca 
jubata.    4.  Walrus,  or  Sea-Horse,  Trichechus  rosmarus. 

1.  The  animals  of  the  seal  kind,  embracing1  the  seals, 
the  sea-lion,  the  sea-bear,  the  sea- elephant,  the  walrus,  and 
several  other  kindred2  species,  resemble  quadrupeds  in 
some  things,  and  fishes  in  others ;  for  they  are  both  land 
and  sea  animals. 

2.  Like  the  lion,  the  tiger,  the  weasel,  and  the  bear,  all 
animals  of  the  seal  kind  are  carnivorous,  because  they  live 
mostly  on  flesh ;  and,  like  the  bear,  the  badger,  and  the 
raccoon,  they  belong  to  the  plantigrade  order,  because  they 
walk,  or  creep,  mostly  on  the  soles  of  their  feet  instead  of 
their  toes. 

H 


170  WILLSON'S  THIKD  KEADEK.  Part  III. 

3.  The  common  seal,  which  is  found  on  the  sea-coasts 
throughout  the  world,  but  most  abundantly  in  temperate 
and  frozen  regions,  is  of  a  yellowish-gray  color,  clouded 
with  brownish  spots.  It  has  a  round  head  and  a  broad 
nose,  a  mild  countenance,  large  whiskers,  and  black  spark- 
ling eyes ;  sharp,  strong,  and  pointed  claws ;  and  a  body 
about  five  feet  in  length,  covered  with  stiff  glossy  hairs. 

4.  The  several  species  of  the  common  seal,  and  also  the 
sea-elephant  and  the  walrus,  have  no  external3  ears,  while 
the  sea-lion  and  the  sea-bear  have  that  organ.  All  the 
seals  are  web-footed;  and  their  feet,  or  nippers,  may  be 
viewed4  as  a  sort  of  oars,  or  paddles,  for  moving  the  ani- 
mal through  the  water.  Although  seals  live  much  of  the 
time  in  the  water,  they  are  obliged  to  come  to  the  surface 
when  they  breathe ;  and  in  this  respect  they  are  like  all 
land  animals. 

5.  Of  those  which  are  commonly  called  seals — without 
including  the  sea-lion,  sea-bear,  and  sea-elephant,  all  of 
which  belong  to  the  seal  family — there  are  nearly  twenty 
different  species,  all  having  the  same  general  form,  but  dif- 
fering somewhat  in  size  and  color.  Those  called  the  sea- 
leopard  and  sea-ape  are  seals,  and  the  sea- wolf  is  only  an- 
other name  for  the  sea-lion. 

6.  The  sea-lion  is  much  larger  than  the  common  seal, 
but  it  has  the  same  kind  of  feet,  or  flippers.  A  full-grown 
sea-lion  is  from  ten  to  fifteen  feet  in  length.  The  males 
have  a  coarse  hair,  like  a  mane,  covering  the  neck ;  but 
the  females  and  young  are  destitute  of  this  covering.  The 
old  males  snort  and  roar  like  mad  bulls,  or  lions ;  the  fe- 
males bleat  very  much  like  calves,  and  the  young  cubs 
like  lambs. 

7.  The  sea-bear,  another  species  of  seal,  resembles  the 
grizzly  bear  in  the  size  of  its  body  and  the  shape  of  its 
head.  It  is  often,  however,  ten  or  twelve  feet  in  length,  or 
nearly  as  large  as  the  sea-lion.  These  animals  are  very 
numerous  on  the  northwestern  coasts  of  North  America, 
where  they  so  crowd  the  shore  at  some  seasons  of  the  year 


1st  Div.  op  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  171 

that  they  oblige  the  traveler  to  quit  it,  and  climb  the  neigh- 
boring rocks  to  get  out  of  their  way. 

8.  Like  the  sea-lions,  the  sea-bears  live  in  families,  each 
male  being  surrounded  by  from  eight  to  fifty  females, 
whom  he  guards  with  great  jealousy,  and  defends  against 
all  intruders.  The  males  show  great  affection  for  their 
young,  and  both  the  parent  bears  are  fierce  in  protecting 
them  from  danger.  If  any  one  should  attempt  to  take 
their  cub,  they  both  stand  on  the  defensive,  and  the  moth- 
er carries  it  off  in  her  mouth. 

9.  But  the  males  are  sometimes  very  tyrannical5  toward 
their  females ;  for,  if  the  mother  should  happen  to  drop 
her  cub  when  attempting  to  convey  it  away  from  danger, 
the  male  instantly  quits  the  enemy,  falls  on  her,  and  beats 
her  against  the  stones,  till  he  leaves  her  for  dead.  As 
soon  as  she  recovers,  she  crawls  to  his  feet  in  the  most  sup- 
pliant manner,  and  bedews6  them  with  her  tears,  while  he 
keeps  stalking7  about  in  the  most  insolent  manner;  but, 
if  the  cub  is  carried  off,  he  also  is  overwhelmed  with  grief, 
sheds  tears,  and  shows  every  mark  of  the  deepest  sorrow. 

10.  The  sea -elephant,  or  elephant -seal,  which  is  the 
largest  of  all  the  seal  tribe,  is  often  from  twenty  to  twenty- 
five  feet  in  length,  and  fifteen  feet  around  the  body.  It  is 
only  the  male  of  this  species  which  has  a  peculiar  nostril 
like  the  trunk  of  an  elephant.  When  the  animal  is  in  a 
state  of  repose,  his  trunk-like  nostril,  shrunk  back,  serves 
only  to  make  the  face  appear  larger;  but  whenever  he 
rouses  himself,  it  extends  out  a  foot  or  more  from  the  head. 

11.  The  males  of  the  sea-elephant  have  terrible  fights 
with  each  other,  but  always  in  single  combat ;  and  if  two 
assail8  one,  the  others  rush  in  and  compel  one  of  the  com- 
batants to  withdraw.  The  sailors  find  the  male  usually 
surrounded  with  several  females.  If  they  wish  to  capture 
several,  they  avoid  wounding  him,  as  the  females  seldom 
abandon  the  male,  though  they  see  the  butchery  of  their 
own  sex ;  but  if  the  male  should  retreat  or  be  killed,  they 
will  all  take  to  flight. 


172 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  III. 


12.  The  walrus,  or  sea-horse,  which  is  much  like  the 
common  seal  in  shape,  is  often  seen  of  a  size  larger  than  a 
great  ox.  It  is  from  twelve  to  fifteen  feet  in  length,  and 
it  measures  nearly  as  much  around  the  body.  It  is  dis- 
tinguished from  all  the  other  seals  by  its  two  tusks,  or 
horns,  which  are  often  more  than  two  feet  in  length.  These 
enable  the  animal  to  raise  its  unwieldy9  bulk  upon  ledges 
of  ice,  and  also  to  defend  itself  against  its  foes,  of  which 
the  bear  on  land,  and  the  sword-fish  at  sea,  are  the  most 
dreaded  by  it. 

13.  The  limbs  of  the  walrus  are  short,  like  those  of  the 
other  seals,  resembling  fins  quite  as  much  as  legs.  When 
the  frozen  regions  of  North  America  were  first  visited  by 
Europeans,  the  walrus  was  found  on  the  icy  shores  in 
herds  of  many  thousands.  The  oil  of  the  walrus  is  more 
valued  than  that  of  the  whale,  and  its  tusks  furnish  bet- 
ter ivory  than  those  of  the  elephant. 

14.  To  the  inhabitants  of  cold  and  frozen  regions,  the 
common  seal,  with  its  kindred  species,  is  an  indispensable10 
animal,  and  they  could  not  long  sustain  life  without  it. 
Its  flesh  supplies  them  with  palatable11  and  substantial 
food ;  the  fat  gives  them  oil  for  light  and  fire ;  its  sinews12 
furnish  them  with  the  strongest  thread ;  and  the  fur-cover- 
ed skins  are  used  for  clothing,  for  building  canoes,  and  for 
trading  with  the  people  of  milder  climes.  Without  this 
animal,  which  a  kind  Providence  has  distributed  so  bounti- 
fully13 throughout  the  northern  and  southern  seas,  human 
life  would  cease  to  exist  in  nearly  one  quarter  of  the  now 
habitable  globe. 


i  Em-bbao'-ino,  including  ;  comprising, 

a  Kin'-pbed,  related. 

3  Ex-ter'-nal,  outward. 

4  Vikw'kd,  considered;  regarded. 

5  T?-RAN'-Ni-rAL,  cruel ;  despotic. 

6  He-pews',  moistens. 

»  Stalk'-ing,  walking  proudly. 


8  As-saii/,  attack. 

9  Un-wiEld'-y,  heavy ;  moved  with  diffi- 
culty. 

10  In-dis-pkns'-a-iu.e,  necessary. 

1 1  r.\T/-A-TA-m.K,  agreeable  to  the  taste. 

12  sTn'-ews,  tendons  or  cords. 

13  Botn'-ti-ful-ly,  liberally ;  abundantly. 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  173 


LESSON  XXIII. 

ANIMALS  OF  THE  SEAL  KIND.— THEIR  CHARACTER  AND  HABITS 
ILLUSTRATED. 


1.  Elephant- Seal,  Phoca  proboscidm.    2.  Pied-Seal,  Phoca  bicolor.    3.  Mitred- Seal, 
Phoca  mitrata.    4.  Crested-Seal,  Plwca  cristata.    5.  Leopard-Seal,  Phoca  leopardina. 

I.   THE   COMMON  SEALS. 

1.  Many  marvelous  stories  have  been  written  about 
tritons,  sirens,  mermen,  and  mermaids,  which,  are  said  to 
have  been  seen  at  sea,  and  which  are  still  supposed  by 
many  to  resemble  men  and  women  in  the  upper  portions 
of  their  bodies,  and  to  be  like  fish  in  other  respects.  It 
will  therefore  be  well  to  state  here,  that  the  creatures  seen 
were  probably  no  other  than  some  species  of  seals,  whose 
heads,  elevated1  a  little  above  the  water,  and  seen  at  a  dis- 
tance, look  very  much  like  the  heads  of  human  beings. 

2.  Seals  in  their  native  state,  before  they  have  been 
hunted,  are  not  only  not  afraid  of  man,  but,  on  the  con- 
trary, they  seem  to  have  great  confidence  in  him,  and  to 
be  fond  of  his  company.  Thus  we  find  it  stated  that  when 
the  first  ships  visited  South  America,  the  sea -wolves,  a 
species  of  seal,  appeared  in  vast  multitudes;  that  they 


174  WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER.  Part  III. 

would  swim  around  the  ship,  hang  to  its  sides  with  their 
paws,  and  seemed  to  stare  at  and  admire  the  crew. 

3.  The  following  account  of  the  seals  among  the  Heb- 
rides,2 or  Western  Islands  of  Scotland,  is  found  in  the  Nat- 
uralist's Library:  "While  my  pupils  and  I,"  said  Mr. 
Dunbar,  "  were  bathing,  which  we  often  did  in  the  bosom 
of  a  beautiful  bay  in  the  island,  named  Seal  Bay,  numbers 
of  seals  invariably  made  their  appearance,  especially  if  the 
weather  was  calm  and  sunny,  and  the  sea  smooth,  crowd- 
ing around  us  at  the  distance  of  a  few  yards,  and  looking 
as  if  they  had  some  kind  of  notion  that  we  were  of  the 
same  species  with  themselves. 

4.  "  The  gambols3  in  the  water  of  my  playful  pupils, 
and  their  noise  and  merriment,  seemed  to  excite  the  seals, 
and  to  make  them  course4  round  us  with  greater  rapidity 
and  animation.  At  the  same  time,  the  slightest  attempt 
on  our  part  to  act  on  the  offensive,  by  throwing  at  them  a 
stone  or  a  shell,  was  the  signal  for  their  instantaneous5  dis- 
appearance beneath  the  water." 

5.  Mr.  Dunbar  also  writes,  "  The  fondness  of  these  ani- 
mals for  musical  sounds  is  a  curious  peculiarity  in  their 
nature,  and  has  been  to  me  often  a  subject  of  interest  and 
amusement.  During  a  residence  of  some  years  in  the  Heb- 
rides, I  had  many  opportunities6  of  witnessing7  this  pecul- 
iarity. In  walking  along  the  shore  in  the  calm  of  a  sum- 
mer afternoon,  a  few  notes  of  my  flute  would  bring  half  a 
score  of  them  within  thirty  or  forty  yards  of  me;  and 
there  they  would  swim  about,  with  their  heads  above  wa- 
ter, like  so  many  black  dogs,  evidently  delighted  with  the 
sounds. 

6.  "  For  half  an  hour  or  so,  or,  indeed,  for  any  length 
of  time  I  chose,  I  could  fix  them  to  the  spot ;  and  when  I 
moved  along  the  water's  edge  they  would  follow  me  with 
eagerness,  as  if  anxious  to  prolong  the  enjoyment.  I  have 
frequently  witnessed  the  same  effect  when  out  on  a  boat- 
excursion.  The  sound  of  the  flute,  or  of  a  common  fife, 
blown  by  one  of  the  boatmen,  was  no  sooner  heard  than 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  175 

half  a  dozen  seals  would  start  up  within  a  few  yards, 
wheeling  around  us  as  long  as  the  music  played,  and  dis- 
appearing, one  after  another,  when  it  ceased." 

7.  Seals,  when  caught  young  and  tamed,  often  dis- 
play considerable  sagacity.  Mr.  Edmonston  mentions  that 
"  one,  in  particular,  became  so  tame  that  he  lay  along  the 
fire  among  the  dogs,  bathed  in  the  sea,  and  returned  to  the 
house ;  but,  having  found  his  way  to  the  cow-houses,  he 
used  to  steal  there  unobserved,  and  suck  the  cows.  On 
this  account  he  was  removed,  and  sent  back  to  his  native 
element." 

8.  Professor  Trail  gives  an  account  of  a  young  seal  that 
was  brought  to  the  house  in  which  he  resided  when  a  boy, 
and  that  lived  for  some  time  chiefly  in  the  kitchen.  It 
was  about  two  and  a  half  feet  long.  It  sucked  one's  fin- 
gers readily,  and  was  fond  of  cow's  milk,  which  it  greedi- 
ly drank.  When  thrown  into  the  sea,  it  speedily  returned 
to  the  shore.  Its  favorite  position  was  the  kitchen  hearth,8 
the  stone  of  which  was  elevated  about  four  inches  above 
the  floor;  and  it  generally  laid  itself  so  close  to  the  fire 
that  its  fur  was  singed.  If  carried  to  any  part  of  the 
kitchen  it  speedily  found  its  way  back  to  the  hearth- 
stone, moving  by  means  of  its  fore  feet,  and  moaning  pit- 
eously." 

9.  The  celebrated  Buffon  gives  the  following  account 
of  a  seal  that  was  captured  in  the  Mediterranean  Sea: 
"  Its  aspect  and  disposition  were  mild ;  its  eyes  were  quick 
and  intelligent,  and  it  showed  great  affection  and  attach- 
ment to  its  master,  whom  it  obeyed  with  the  utmost  read- 
iness. At  his  order  it  would  lay  down  its  head,  turn  in 
various  directions,  roll  round  and  round,  raise  the  fore 
part  of  its  body  quite  erect,  and  shake  hands  with  him. 
When  its  master  called,  it  answered,  however  distant  it 
might  be ;  it  looked  round  for  him  when  it  did  not  see 
him,  and,  on  discovering  him  after  an  absence  of  a  few 
minutes,  never  failed  to  testify  joy  by  a  loud  murmur." 


176  WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER.  Part  III. 


II.   THE  SEA- LION. 

1.  The  sea-lion,  which  is  merely  one  species  of  the  seal, 

is  not  so  terrible  an  ^  animal  as 
its  name  and  appearance  would 
indicate.9  Although  the  males 
have  a  frightful  aspect,10  yet 
they  take  flight  on  the  first  ap- 
pearance of  man.  If  they  are 
surprised  in  their  sleep,  they 
are  panic-struck,  sighing  deep- 
ly; and  in  their  attempt  to  escape,  they  get  quite  con- 
fused, tumble  down,  and  tremble  so  much  that  they  are 
scarcely  able  to  move  their  limbs. 

2.  If,  however,  these  animals  are  reduced  to  extremity,11 
they  grow  desperate,  turn  on  their  enemy  with  great  fury 
and  noise,  and  put  even  the  most  valiant  to  flight.  They 
live  chiefly  on  rocky  shores  and  desert  rocks  of  the  ocean, 
on  which  they  climb ;  and  their  roaring  is  said  to  be  use- 
ful in  the  foggy  weather  of  those  regions,  by  warning  nav- 
igators to  avoid  destruction.  The  stories  of  mermaids  sit- 
ting on  lone  rocks  in  the  ocean,  and  combing  their  hair, 
have  probably  originated  from  the  sight  of  some  of  these 
maned  sea-lions. 

3.  A  little  more  than  a  century  ago  the  sea-lions  were 
described  by  Stellar,  who  states  that  he  lived  for  six  days 
in  a  hovel  in  the  very  midst  of  them,  and  that  they  soon 
became  quite  intimate  with  him.  With  great  calmness 
they  observed  what  he  was  doing,  laid  themselves  down 
close  beside  him,  and  would  suffer  him  to  seize  their  cubs. 
He  thus  had  an  excellent  opportunity  of  studying  their 
habits. 

4.  He  once  saw  one  which  had  been  robbed  of  its  mate 
fight  with  the  whole  herd  for  three  days,  and  escape  at 
last  covered  with  wounds.  They  allowed  the  whelps  of 
other  seals  to  sport  near  them  without  offering  them  the 
least  injury.     The  old  showed  but  little  affection  for  their 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  177 

young,  and  sometimes,  through  mere  carelessness,  would 
tread  them  to  death.  They  also  suffered  them  to  be  killed 
before  their  eyes  without  any  concern  or  resentment. 

5.  The  cubs,  too,  of  the  sea-lion,  when  on  land,  are  not 
sportive  like  those  of  some  other  species,  but  are  almost 
always  asleep.  They  are  taken  to  sea  when  but  partly 
grown ;  when  wearied,  they  mount  on  their  mother's  back, 
whence  the  male  often  pushes  them  into  the  water  to  ac- 
custom them  to  the  exercise.  The  males  treat  the  females 
with  great  respect  and  kindness. 

6.  The  females  never  fight  with  each  other,  nor  with 
the  males,  and  seem  to  live  in  entire  dependence  upon  the 
chief  of  the  family ;  but  when  two  grown  males,  or,  rath- 
er, two  heads  of  families,  engage,12  all  the  females  attend 
to  witness  the  contest.  If  the  chief  of  another  troop  in- 
terferes with  the  combatants,  either  on  one  side  or  the 
other,  his  example  is  immediately  followed  by  other  chiefs, 
and  then  the  combat  becomes  almost  general,  and  termi- 
nates only  in  much  bloodshed,  and  often  even  in  the  death 
of  many  of  the  males,  whose  females  are  instantly  joined 
to  the  family  of  the  victor. 

7.  Many  interesting  anecdotes  might  be  told  of  the  sea- 
bears  and  sea-elephants,  illustrating  the  character  and  hab- 
its of  these  singular  animals,  but  we  have  not  room  for 
them  here.  The  sea-bear  is  rather  more  to  be  feared  by 
man  than  the  sea-lion,  sea-elephant,  or  even  the  walrus;  but 
nearly  all  of  the  seal  kind  are  mild  in  disposition,  and  quite 
harmless  if  unmolested.  Indeed,  they  will  seldom  attack 
man  unless  they  are  provoked  to  it  by  the  rudest  violence. 

III.   THE   WALEUS,  OR   SEA-HORSE. 

1.  The  walrus,  or  sea-horse,  which  is  an  active  and 
graceful  animal  in  the  sea,  appears  very  sluggish  and  stupid 
on  the  land.  When  these  awkward  and  noisy  creatures 
crowd  together  on  land  in  hundreds  at  a  time,  and  some- 
times even  in  thousands,  they  present  a  very  curious  ap- 
pearance.    It  is  said  that  the  moment  the  first  gets  on 

H2 


178 


WILLSON'S  third  reader. 


Part  III. 


shore,  so  as  to  lie  dry,  it  will  not  stir  till  another  comes 
and  forces  it  forward,  by  beating  it  with  its  great  teeth. 
This  one  is  served  in  the  same  manner  by  the  next,  and  so 
on  till  the  whole  are  landed,  tumbling  over  one  another, 
and  each  forcing  the  one  before  him  to  remove  farther  up. 

2.  Usually  quiet  and  peaceful  among  themselves,  and 
even  stupid  when  on  land,  these  animals  show  no  disposi- 
tion to  molest  others ;  and  far  from  being  the  enemy  of 
man,  naturally  they  are  not  even  afraid  of  him.  But,  al- 
though slow  to  learn  that  man  is  their  enemy,  yet,  after 
having  been  repeatedly  attacked  by  him,  their  whole  char- 
acter seems  to  change.  They  will  not  even  then  make  the 
first  attack,  but  they  will  defend  themselves  with  the  most 
cool  and  determined  bravery. 

3.  Captain  Cook  gives  a  very  interesting  account  of 
these  animals,  which  he  saw  in  vast  numbers  on  islands 
of  floating  ice  in  the  Pacific  Ocean.  He  says :  "  They  were 
lying  in  herds  of  many  hundreds,  huddled  one  over  the 
other  like  swine,  and  were  roaring  and  bellowing  very 
loud,  so  that  in  the  night,  or  in  foggy  weather,  they  gave 
us  notice  of  the  nearness  of  the  ice  before  we  saw  it.    They 


1st  DlV.  OF 


ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


179 


were  seldom  in  a  hurry  to  get  away,  till  after  they  had 
been  once  fired  at,  and  then  they  would  tumble  over  each 
other  into  the  sea  in  the  utmost  confusion.  Vast  numbers 
of  them  would  follow  us,  and  come  close  up  to  the  boats ; 
but  the  flash  of  a  gun,  or  even  the  bare  pointing  of  one  at 
them,  would  send  them  down  into  the  water  in  an  instant. 

4.  "  One  day,"  says  the  writer,  "  we  hoisted  out  the 
boats,  and  sent  them  in  pursuit  of  the  sea-horses  that  sur- 
rounded us.  On  the  approach  of  our  boats  toward  the 
ice  on  which  they  were  reposing,  they  all  took  their  cubs 
under  their  fins,  and  tried  to  escape  with  them  into  the 
sea.  Several  whose  young  were  killed  or  wounded,  and 
were  left  floating  on  the  surface,  rose  again  and  carried 
their  young  down,  sometimes  just  as  our  people  were  go- 
ing to  take  them  into  the  boat. 

5.  "  We  could  trace  them  bearing  their  young  with  them 
to  a  great  distance  through  the  water,  which  was  colored 
with  their  blood.  We  afterward  saw  them  bringing  them 
up  at  times  above  the  surface,  as  if  for  air,  and  again  div- 
ing under  it  with  a  dreadful  bellowing.  The  female,  in 
particular,  whose  young  had  been  destroyed  and  taken 
into  the  boat,  became  so  enraged  that  she  attacked  the 
boat,  and  stuck  her  tusks  through  the  bottom  of  it." 

6.  Captain  Phipps  saw  many  of  these  animals  during 
his  voyage  to  the  northern  seas  in  1773.  At  one  time  two 
of  his  officers  who  were  in  a  boat  attacked  a  walrus.  The 
animal,  being  alone,  was  at  first  wounded  by  them.  He 
then  plunged  into  the  deep,  and  they  supposed  he  had 
fled ;  but  he  soon  returned  with  several  companions,  who 
made  a  united  attack  upon  the  boat.  They  wrested13  an 
oar  from  one  of  the  men,  and  had  nearly  upset  the  boat, 
when  another  boat  came  to  their  assistance. 


1  £i/-E-vX-TED,  raised. 

2  Heb'-bid-es  (H&b' -rid-ez) . 

3  Gam'-bols,  sportive  pranks. 

*  Coubse,  move  ;  swim  with  speed. 

8  In-stan-tX'-ne-otjs,  immediate ;  speedy. 

6  Op-poe-tu'-ni-ties,  occasions ;  convenient 

times. 
i  Wit'-nrbs-tng.  seeing:  observing. 


8  Heaeth  (harth,  like  a  in  far). 

9  in'-di-«ate,  show ;  induce  belief. 
10  Xs'-pe€t,  appearance. 

ii  "Re-ducet/  to  ex-teem'-i-ty,"  placed 
in  great  difficulty  or  danger. 

12  En-gage',  fight. 

13  Weest'-ed,  twisted  or  pulled  away. 


180 


WILLSON'S  THIHD   READEK.  Tart  III. 


SIXTH   DIVISION   OF  THE    CARNIVOROUS   OR  FLESH-EATING   QUADRUPEDS 

ANIMALS  OF  THE  SHREW  KIND:  EMBRACING  THE  HEDGEHOG,  THE  SHREWS. 
AND  THE  MOLES. 

LESSON  XXIV. 

ANIMALS  OF  THE  SHREW  KIND  (SOREC1DJE).* 


Scale  of  Indus. 


1.  Common  Shrew,  Sorex  arancus.  2.  Oared  Shrew,  Sorex  remifer.  3.  Hedgehog, 
Erinaceus  Europceus.  4  Common  Mole,  Talpa  Europcea.  5.  Star-nose  Mole,  Sorex 
cristatm,  or  Condylura  cristata. 

1.  The  small  group  of  animals  of  the  shrew  kind  may- 
be divided  into  three  families — the  hedgehogs,  the  shrews, 
and  the  moles.  These  little  animals  feed  chiefly  on  worms 
and  insects,  many  of  them  coming  abroad  at  night  only, 
and  some  living  entirely  under  ground. 

2.  The  hedgehog  has  a  body  about  ten  inches  in  length, 
covered  with  a  coat  of  tough  spines  or  prickles.  It  is  not 
found  in  this  country,  but  is  common  in  Europe.     It  is  a 


*  Latin  «>/•<•  r,  a  shrew.  The  animals  of  this  class  are  called  by  some  "Insectivorous 
Quadrupeds.*1  In  the  form  and  arrangement  of  their  teeth  they  resemble  the  bats,  and, 
like  them,  feed  chiefly  on  worms  and  insects,  many  of  them  coming  abroad  at  night  only. 
They  arc  b\\  2>lantigrade  animals,  as  in  walking  they  apply  the  entire  sole  of  the  foot  to 
the  ground. 


1st  Div.  or  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  181 

slow  and  harmless  creature,  yet  its  spines  enable  it  to  de- 
fend itself  against  its  enemies.  When  attacked  it  rolls  it- 
self up  in  a  round  ball,  with  its  head  and  feet  concealed, 
and  spreads  out  its  spines,  and  in  this  condition  very  few 
dogs  will  venture1  to  attack  it. 

3.  Some  very  absurd2  things  have  been  related  about  the 
hedgehog.  It  has  been  said  that  it  will  roll  over  on  apples 
that  are  lying  on  the  ground,  and  carry  off  a  quantity  of 
them  on  its  spines ;  but  such  stories  are  not  to  be  believed. 
The  hedgehog  may  be  easily  tamed.  It  is  sometimes 
placed  in  gardens,  where  it  is  useful  in  devouring  insects 
and  worms. 

4.  All  of  the  shrews  have  eyes  that  can  be  easily  seen, 
but  the  mole  has  eyes  so  very  small,  and  so  entirely  cover- 
ed with  fur,  that  it  was  long  thought  to  be  blind ;  and  it 
has  no  ears,  except  two  very  small  holes  under  the  fur,  not 
so  large  as  a  small  pin-head.  It  is  not  troubled,  therefore, 
by  having  the  dirt  get  into  its  eyes  and  ears. 

5.  The  mole  digs  many  little  paths,  just  large  enough 
for  its  body,  sometimes  a  foot  deep  in  the  earth,  but  often 
only  just  below  the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  all  these 
paths  are  connected  with  one  central  fortress,3  having  a 
large  chamber,4  in  which  the  animal  makes  a  snug  warm 
nest  of  dry  leaves.  This  is  its  winter  residence.5  Here  it 
sleeps  until  it  gets  hungry,  and  then  it  starts  off  through 
its  long  narrow  paths,  over  its  hunting-grounds,  in  "search 
of  food,  which  consists  mostly  of  worms,  or,  as  some  call 
them,  a?igle-woTms. 

6.  But  the  mole  has  its  summer  residences  also,  and 
these  consist  of  little  mole-hills,  which  it  forms  by  throw- 
ing up  the  earth  in  little  mounds,6  and  making  a  nest  be- 
neath them.  It  does  not  eat  the  roots  of  grass,  as  many 
suppose,  but  it  destroys  a  great  many  earth-worms  that 
would  otherwise  injure  the  grass  and  grain. 


1  Vent'-Gre,  dare. 

2  Ab-s~rt>',  unreasonable. 

's  For'-tress,  fort ;  place  of  defense  or  se- 
curity. 


*  Ciiam'-ber,  retired  place  ;  upper  room. 
5  Res'-t-pence,  dwelling-place. 
«  Mottnus,  little  hills. 


182  WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Part  III 

CHAPTER  in. 

HOOFED  QUADRUPEDS  (UNGULATA). 

FIRST  DIVISION:    THICK-SKINNED  QUADRUPEDS ;  EMBRACING  THE  ELEPHANT, 
RHINOCEROS,  HIPPOPOTAMUS,  HORSE,  SWINE,  HYRAX,  TAPIR,  ETC. 

LESSON  I. 

THE   ELEPHANT. 


Asiatic  Elephant,  Elepfiaa  Inutcus. 

1.  Elephants,  which,  are  the  largest  and  most  powerful 
of  all  land  animals,  are  found  wild  in  great  numbers  in  the 
vast  forests  of  Asia  and  Africa.  They  are  usually  qniet 
and  harmless,  and  easily  alarmed  at  the  sight  of  man ;  but 
when  attacked,  or  wounded,  they  turn  upon  their  assailant 
with  the  utmost  fury,  and,  unless  he  has  provided  a  way 
of  escape,  they  seldom  fail  to  overtake  and  kill  him,  pierc- 
ing him  through  and  through  with  their  enormous  tusks, 
and  trampling  his  body  into  the  earth. 

2.  The  Asiatic  elephant  is  larger  and  more  docile  than 
the  African,  but  the  African  has  much  the  largest  ears  and 
the  highest  forehead.1  The  general  height  of  the  Asiatic 
elephant  is  from  eight  to  ten  feet,  but  specimens  have  been 
found  more  than  twelve  feet  high,  and  weighing  five  tons. 


1st  Div,  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  183 

The  head  of  the  elephant  seems  small  when  compared  with 
the  bulk  of  his  body :  his  legs  are  like  massive  columns ; 
his  neck  is  short  and  strong;  his  eye  is  small,  but  brilliant; 
and  his  skin  thick,  of  a  dusky  black  color,  with  only  a  few 
hairs  scattered  over  it. 

3.  Although  the  elephant  has  a  very  unwieldy  appear- 
ance, yet  his  activity  and  speed  are  very  great,  a  swift 
horse  being  sometimes  unable  to  get  away  from  him.  The 
tusks  of  the  elephant  are  usually  from  three  to  seven  feet 
in  length,  and  have  been  known  as  long  as  fourteen  feet. 
They  are  very  valuable,  as  they  afford  the  finest  ivory- 
of  which  many  useful  and  ornamental  things  are  made,  >^c 

4.  But  the  most  remarkable  part  of  the  elephant  is  his 
trunk,  which  is  long  and  tapering,  and  easily  bent  in  any 
direction.  At  the  end  of  the  trunk  are  two  holes,  which 
answer  the  purpose  of  nostrils.  By  these  the  animal  can 
draw  in  water,  and  throw  it  out  again :  he  uses  the  trunk 
to  place  food  and  water  in  his  mouth ;  with  it  he  can  pick 
up  a  pin  from  the  floor,  draw  the  cork  from  a  bottle,  pull 
up  a  small  tree  by  the  roots,  or  strike  a  man  dead  with 
a  single  blow. 

5.  In  India,  where  elephants  have  long  been  used  in  a 
tame  state,  they  are  employed  in  carrying  baggage  and 
dragging  cannon ;  in  working,  like  horses  and  oxen ;  in 
hunting  the  lion  and  the  tiger ;  and  also  in  capturing  wild 
elephants.  In  Asia  the  wild  elephant  is  hunted  in  order 
to  capture  and  tame  him ;  but  in  Africa  he  is  hunted  for 
his  tusks,  and  also  for  his  flesh,  some  parts  of  which  the 
natives  eat.  The  natives  also  wish  to  kill  him  because  he 
does  so  much  damage  to  the  crops. 

6.  Wild  elephants  usually  live  and  move  together  in 
herds ;  they  feed  upon  grass,  roots,  and  the  branches  of 
trees,  and  they  delight  to  bathe  in  running  streams.  They 
often  enter  cultivated  fields  in  search  of  food,  eating  vast 
quantities  of  sugar-cane,  rice,  bananas,2  and  other  crops,3 
and  trampling  down  with  their  feet  more  than  they  con- 
sume. 


184  WILLSON'S  THIED   READER.  Pakt  III. 

7.  Several  methods  are  used  for  capturing  and  taming 
elephants.  One  most  commonly  employed  is  to  surround 
a  herd  of  them,  and  drive  them  into  a  narrow  inclosure, 
where  they  are  taken  charge  of  by  tame  elephants,  led  out 
singly,  and  bound  to  trees,  where  they  are  kept  until  they 
become  submissive.4  JuLg   SWu.4  «*$  tfcc   j^U/Vr^-- 

8.  Another  method  is  to  take  them  in  pitfalls,  in  which 
they  are  allowed  to  remain  until  they  are  nearly  starved. 
Being  then  fed,  helped  out  of  the  pit,  and  treated  kindly, 
they  become  quite  tame,  and  seem  to  be  very  grateful5  for 
the  kind  treatment  which  they  have  received,  not  know- 
ing that  the  pit  was  dug  for  the  purpose  of  entrapping6 
them.  An  ordinary7  tame  elephant  in  India  sells  for 
about  five  hundred  dollars;  but  if  he  is  very  large  and 
strong,  and  a  good  worker,  he  will  sell  for  two  thousand 
dollars. 


1  Fore'-head  (for'-ed). 

2  Ban-a'-nas  (<//  like  a  in  ./Vw),  fruit  of  the 
plantain-tree. 

3  fjBors,   growing  or  gathered  grains   or 
fruits. 


*  Stjb-mTss'-ive,  tame  ;  obedient. 

5  Geate'-pul,  thankful  for  favors. 

6  Kn-trap'-ping,  catching  in  a  trap ;  en 
snaring. 

7  or'-di-na-ry,  common. 


THE  WILD  ELEPHANT. 

1.  Trampling  his  path  through  wood,  and  brake,1 
And  canes,2  which  crackling  fall  before  his  way, 
And  tassel-grass,  whose  silvery  feathers  play ; 
O'ertopping  the  young  trees, 

Oft  comes  the  elephant,  to  slake3 

His  thirst  at  noon  in  yon  pellucid4  springs. 

2.  Lo !  from  his  trunk  upturned,  aloft  he  flings 
The  grateful  shower ;  and  now, 
Plucking  the  broad-leaved  bough 

Of  yonder  palm,  with  waving  motion  slow, 
Fanning  the  languid  air, 
He  waves  it  to  and  fro. 

1  r.UAKE,  a  thicket  overgrown  with  shrub.?  1  3  Slake,  to  quench. 

and  brambles.  *  Pkl-lC'-cic,  clear ;  transparent 

»  €Jmta,  a  thicket  of  the  cine  plant 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


185 


LESSON  II. 

CHARACTER  AND  HABITS  OF  THE  ELEPHANT. 


The  hunting  Elephant. 

1.  In  a  wild  state,  the  actions  of  the  elephant  are  all 
guided  by  his  passions — by  blind  fury  when  attacked,  by 
the  care  and  comfort  of  his  body,  or  by  his  attachment  for 
those  of  his  own  species.1  In  captivity  he  is  docile  and 
obedient ;  he  possesses  a  good  memory,  and  by  its  aid  he 
is  trained  to  perform  most  of  his  useful  labors ;  for  with- 
out memory  or  experience  he  will  not  undertake  any  new 
operation2  until  it  is  explained.  The  same  faculty  makes 
him  revenge  bad  treatment,  and  long  remember  it. 

2.  Many  years  ago  a  female  elephant  appeared  upon  the 
stage3  in  London,  and  acted  a  part  in  the  play.  She  march- 
ed in  procession,  knelt  down  at  the  waving  of  the  hand, 
placed  the  crown  on  the  head  of  "the  true  prince,"  drank 
and  ate  with  the  persons  around  her,  and  at  one  point  in 
the  performance  knelt  with  her  hind  legs,  and  so  made  an 
inclined  plane4  with  her  back,  and  thus  helped  some  of  the 
actors  to  escape  from  a  supposed  prison.  She  went  through 
with  the  entire  performance  with  much  pleasure,  and  with- 


186 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  III. 


out  being  disturbed  by  the  lights,  the  music,  or  the  shout- 
ing ;  and  when  she  retired  she  made  a  bow  to  the  audience. 
Elephants  are  very  grateful  for  kindnesses  shown  them, 
and  often  become  much  attached  to  their  keepers. 

3.  In  a  work  on  natural  history  a  story  is  told  of  an 
elephant  in  India  that  became  so  fond  of  a  young  child 
that  he  was  unwilling  to  have  the  child  away  from  him. 
The  nurse  used,  therefore,  very  often,  to  take  the  child  in 
its  cradle,  and  place  it  between  the  elephant's  feet.  This 
he  at  length  became  so  much  accustomed  to  that  he  would 
not  eat  his  food  except  when  the  child  was  present.  When 
the  child  slept  he  would  drive  off  the  flies  with  his  trunk, 
and  when  it  cried  he  would  move  the  cradle  backward 
and  forward,  and  thus  rock  it  to  sleep  again. 

4.  But  the  elephant  remembers  insults  and  injuries  as 
well  as  kindnesses,  and  will  sometimes  take  vengeance5  on 
the  offender,  even  after  the  latter  has  forgotten  the  wrong. 
Drive  an  elephant  beyond  his  accustomed  speed,  and  he 
will  become  furious ;  overload  him,  and  he  will  throw  off 
his  burden ;  refuse  him  what  you  hold  out  to  him,  and  he 
will  punish  the  insult ;  let  a  man  treat  him  harshly,  and 
he  will  sometimes  trample  him  to  death. 

5.  Sometimes  he  revenges  an  insult  in  a  very  laughable 
way.  In  the  city  of  Delhi,  in  India,  a  tailor  was  in  the 
habit  of  giving  some  fruit  to  an  elephant  that  daily  passed 
his  shop ;  and  so  accustomed  had  the  animal  become  to  this 
treatment  that  it  regularly  put  its  trunk  in  at  the  window 
to  receive  the  expected  gift.  One  day,  however,  the  tailor, 
being  out  of  humor,6  thrust  his  needle  into  the  beast's  trunk, 
telling  it  to  begone,  as  he  had  nothing  to  give  it.  The 
creature  passed  on,  apparently  unmoved ;  but,  on  coming 
to  a  pool  of  dirty  water  near  by,  filled  its  trunk,  and  then 
returned  to  the  shop  window  into  which  it  spouted  the 
contents,  thoroughly  drenching  the  tailor  and  his  wares.7 


I  Brt-oTm,  kind. 
3  Op-er-a'-tion,  work  or  labor. 
3  StaVje,  the  floor  on  which  the  theatrical 
performances  are  exhibited. 


*  Plane,  an  even  surface. 

5  Vknge-anoe,  revenge. 

6  llfi'-MOB,  temper  of  mind. 

7  WA.ee*,  goods. 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


187 


LESSON  III. 

THE  RHINOCEROS  AND  THE  HIPPOPOTAMUS. 


One-horned  Indian  Rhinoceros,  Rhinoceros  unicornus. 
eroa,  Rhinoceros  bicornus. 


Two-horned  African  Rhinoc- 


1.  The  rhinoceros,1  which  is  a  very  uncouth2-looking 
creature,  is  a  native  of  the  warm  regions  of  Africa  and 
Asia,  inhabiting  districts  where  there  is  much  vegetation 
and  abundance  of  water.  There  are  several  species,  some 
having  but  one  horn,  and  others  two,  but  otherwise  differ- 
ing chiefly  in  size  and  in  the  shape  of  the  head. 

2.  A  full-grown  rhinoceros  is  about  five  feet  in  height, 
which  is  about  half  the  length  of  the  body.  It  often 
weighs  from  two  to  three  tons.  The  horns  vary  from  a 
few  inches  to  more  than  four  feet  in  length.  It  is  believed 
that  the  unicorn  mentioned  in  the  Bible  was  the  one-hom- 
ed rhinoceros. 

3.  The  rhinoceros  has  a  very  thick  and  tough  skin, 
which  hangs  in  large  folds  over  the  body,  and  is  destitute 
of  hair  except  a  little  between  the  shoulders,  a  tuft  at  the 
end  of  the  tail,  and  on  the  tips  of  the  ears.  It  feeds  chief- 
ly on  vegetables,  tender  branches  of  trees,  and  grasses.     It 


188  WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER.  Part  III. 

is  a  slovenly3  animal,  much  like  the  hog  in  its  character 
and  habits;  but  when  aroused  it  is  furious  and  revenge- 
ful; and  as  it  possesses  enormous  strength,  neither  the 
lion,  the  tiger,  nor  the  elephant  will  often  attack  it. 

4.  Although  generally  an  inoffensive  animal,  it  will 
sometimes  attack  a  whole  company  of  men.  Two  officers 
belonging  to  that  part  of  the  English  army  in  India  that 
was  stationed4  near  Patna  went  out  with  their  servants  on 
a  hunting  expedition.  One  morning,  as  they  were  rising 
just  about  daybreak  to  go  in  quest5  of  game,  they  heard  a 
violent  uproar,  and  on  looking  out,  found  that  a  rhinoceros 
was  goring6  their  horses,  both  of  which,  being  fastened 
with  ropes,  were  unable  to  escape  or  resist. 

5.  The  servants  fled  immediately,  and  hid  themselves  in 
the  jungles  near  by ;  and  the  two  officers  had  barely  time 
to  climb  up  into  a  small  tree  not  far  distant,  when  the  fu- 
rious beast,  having  killed  the  horses,  turned  his  attention 
to  their  masters.  They  were  barely  out  of  his  reach,  and 
by  no  means  free  from  danger,  as  he  seemed  determined 
to  tear  the  tree  down.  After  keeping  them  in  dreadful 
suspense7  for  some  time,  seeing  the  sun  rise,  he  began  to 
retreat;  but  he  occasionally  stopped  and  looked  back,  as 
if  half  inclined  to  return,  and  as  if  he  regretted  to  leave 
what  he  had  not  the  power  to  destroy. 

6.  The  hippopotamus,8  or  river  horse,  is  quite  as  un- 

couth-looking as  the  rhinoc- 
eros. His  head  is  large; 
his  mouth  is  enormous ;  his 
body  is  of  great  bulk,  fat 
and  round,  and  often  from 
nine  to  twelve  feet  in  length ; 
his  skin  is  more  than  an  inch 
thick,  and  his  legs  are  very 
Hippopotamus,  iii2>popotamm  amphiUm.   g^ort  and  clumsv.    On  land 

the  hippopotamus  makes  slow  progress ;  but  in  the  water, 
which  is  his  native  element,  he  swims  and  dives  like  a 
duck. 


1st  DlV.  OF 


ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


189 


7.  The  hippopotamus  is  found  only  in  Africa.  It  sel- 
dom leaves  the  water  except  during  the  night,  when  it 
comes  out  to  feed  on  grass,  roots,  and  the  stems  of  water- 
plants.  When  near  cultivated  districts  it  sometimes  comes 
forth  in  herds  of  from  ten  to  fifty,  and  ravages  fields  of 
rice  and  grain,  destroying  more  by  the  treading  of  its 
enormous  feet  than  it  eats. 


'  RhT-nSo'-e-ros  (rl-w>s'-e-ros). 

2  Un-€outh',  odd :  strange. 

3  Slov'-en-ey,  filthy. 

*  Sta'-tioned,  posted  ;  placed. 


5  Quest,  search  of. 

6  Goe'-ing,  stabbing ;  piercing. 

7  Sus-pense',  anxiety. 

8  Hip-po-pot'-a-mus. 


LESSON  IV. 

ANIMALS  OF  THE  SWINE  KIND  (SUID^E). 


Scale  of  Feet. 


1.  Babiroussa,  or  Wild  Hog  of  the  Molucca  Islands,  Sus  Bdbiroussa.  2.  Wild  Boar 
of  Europe,  Sus  scropha,  or  ferus.  3.  Ethiopian  Wild  Boar,  or  Wart  Hog,  Sus  larvatus. 
4  American  Tapir,  Tapirus  Amerieanus.  5.  Syrian  Hyrax,  Hyrax  Syrianus.  6. 
White-lipped  Peccary  of  South  America,  Sus,  or  Dicotyles  labiatus. 

1.  Among  the  hoofed  quadrupeds  of  the  thick-skinned 
order  which  have  been  classed  with  the  rhinoceros  and 
the  hippopotamus,  are  those  of  the  swine  kind,  which  in- 
clude the  domestic  hog,  the  wild  hogs,  of  which  there  are 
several  species,  and  also  the  peccaries1  and  the  tapirs.2 


190  WILLSON'S  THIED  HEADER.  Part  III. 

None  of  these  are  very  interesting  animals,  although  the 
hog  is  very  useful  on  account  of  its  flesh,  which  is  eaten 
by  all  people  except  Jews. 

2.  The  wild  boar  is  still  found  in  the  large  forests  of 
Europe,  but  is  most  numerous  in  Southern  Asia.  It  was 
once  common  in  England,  where  the  hunting  of  it  was  a 
favorite,  but  sometimes  dangerous  amusement.  The  kill- 
ing of  a  wild  boar  is  well  described  in  the  following  lines : 

3.  "  Forth  from  a  thicket  rushed  another  boar, 

So  large,  he  seem'd  the  tyrant  of  the  woods, 

With  all  his  dreadful  bristles  raised  on  high ; 

They  seem'd  a  grove  of  spears  upon  his  back. 

Foaming,  he  came  at  me,  where  I  was  posted, 

Whetting  his  huge  long  tusks,  and  gaping  wide, 

As  he  already  had  me  for  his  prey ; 

Till,  brandishing  my  well-pois'd  javelin  on  high, 

With  this  bold  executing  arm  I  struck 

The  ugly  brindled3  monster  to  the  heart." — Otway. 

4.  The  peccaries,  which  are  a  kind  of  wild  swine,  are 
natives  of  South  America.  The  collared4  peccary,  which 
is  the  smallest,  is  found  in  considerable  numbers  in  Mex- 
ico. The  white-lipped  peccary  is  found  in  vast  herds  in 
South  America,  sometimes  spreading  over  a  mile  of 
ground,  and  directed5  by  one  which  is  the  leader. 

5.  The  tapir,  which  is  the  largest  animal  of  South  Arner- 
ica,  is  hunted  for  its  skin,  and  also  for  its  flesh.  Its  dis- 
position is  peaceful,  but  it  will  defend  itself  vigorously  if 
attacked.     When  tamed  it  becomes  as  familiar  as  a  dog. 

6.  The  smallest  animal  in  this  division  is  the  Syrian 
hyrax,  a  rabbit-like  and  timid  little  creature,  which  is  the 
same  as  the  cony  mentioned  in  the  Bible.  It  is  still 
found  among  the  rocks  of  Mount  Lebanon,  living  upon 
grain,  fruit,  and  roots.  "  The  conies  are  but  a  feeble  folk, 
yet  make  they  their  houses  in  the  rocks.  The  high  hills 
are  a  refuge  for  the  wild  goats ;  and  the  rocks  for  the  co- 
nies."    (Prov.,  xxx.,  26,  and  Psalm  civ.,  18.) 

'  Pk<i'-oa-ry.  I  4  €oV-larkt>,   having  a  stripe  or   collar 

a  Ta'-piu.  aronnd  the  neck. 

3  Brin'-dlep,  spotted.  |  *  Di-be€t'-et>,  led  or  guided. 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


191 


LESSON  V. 

ANIMALS  OF  THE  HORSE  KIND  (EQU1DJE). 


Scale  of  Feet. 

Wild  Ass,  Asinus  <mager.    Zebra,  Hippotigris  zebra.    Tartar  wild  Horse,  Equus  caballus. 

1.  The  animals  of  the  horse  kind  include  horses,  asses, 
and  zebras.  Of  these  the  first  two  only  have  been  made 
useful  to  man  in  a  tame  state,  as  beasts  of  draught1  and  of 
burden.2  The  horse  is  far  the  most  valuable  of  all,  and 
the  most  widely  distributed  over  the  earth.  Though  still 
found  in  vast  herds  in  a  wild  state,  he  is  easily  tamed. 
His  great  usefulness  and  kind  disposition  have  made  him 
both  the  servant  and  the  companion  of  man  in  all  ages  of 
the  world's  history. 

2.  But  the  horse  is  not  merely  a  useful  drudge  and  a 
kind  servant:  he  is  in  all  respects  a  most  noble  animal. 
He  is  noted  for  courage,  strength,  and  fleetness  ;3  for  his 
sensitive4  and  proud  nature,  combined  with  great  gentle- 
ness ;  and  for  his  fine  form,  and  the  grace  and  beauty  of 
his  movements.  When  trained  to  war',  he  shows  on  the 
battle-field  the  most  resolute5  fierceness  and  courageous 
ardor.6 

3.  In  the  poetical  language  of  the  Bible,  "His  neck  is 
clothed  with  thunder.     The  glory  of  his  nostrils  is  ter- 


192  WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  PaktIII 

rible.  He  paweth  the  valley,  and  rejoiceth  in  his  strength. 
He  goeth  on  to  meet  armed  men.  He  mocketh  at  danger, 
and  is  not  affrighted ;  neither  turneth  he  back  from  the 
sword.  The  quiver7  rattleth  against  him — the  glittering 
spear  and  the  shield.  He  swalloweth8  the  ground  with 
fierceness  and  rage;  neither  believeth  he  that  it  is  the 
sound  of  the  trumpet.  He  saith  among  the  trumpets,  Ha ! 
ha !  and  he  smelleth  the  battle  afar  off,  the  thunder  of  the 
captains,  and  the  shouting." 

4.  The  horse  is  found  wild  in  large  herds  on  the  vast 
plains  of  Northern  Asia,  in  Africa,  and  also  in  South 
America  and  Mexico.  In  their  native  domains,9  when  not 
startled  or  hunted,  they  are  playful  and  frolicsome  ;]0  now 
scouring  the  plain  in  groups  for  mere  amusement;  now 
suddenly  stopping,  pawing  the  earth,  then  snorting,  and 
off  again  straight  as  an  arrow,  or  wheeling  in  circles, 
making  the  ground  shake  with  their  wild  merriment.  It 
is  impossible  to  conceive  a  more  animated  picture  than  a 
group  of  wild  horses  at  play. 

5.  The  wild  horses  of  Northern  Asia  are  very  quick  in 
detecting  danger.  They  have  a  very  piercing11  sight ;  and 
the  point  of  a  Cossack  spear,  seen  behind  a  bush  at  a  great 
distance  on  the  horizon,12  is  sufficient  to  make  a  whole 
troop  halt.  When  a  herd  is  feeding  or  asleep,  at  least  one 
of  the  more  powerful  steeds  keeps  watch,  and  if  he  sees 
any  strange  object  he  gives  the  note  of  warning  by  snort- 
ing loudly.  Upon  this  signal  the  whole  troop  start  to 
their  feet;  some  young  steed  then  advances  to  recon- 
noiter,13  and,  if  he  takes  alarm,  he  gives  a  shrill  neigh,  and 
the  whole  herd  fly  off  with  the  swiftness  of  the  wind. 

6.  Ther^e  is  a  great  difference  in  the  dispositions  of  the 
Asiatic  and  American  wild  horses.  The  former  can  never 
be  properly  tamed,  unless  trained  when  very  young ;  and 
even  then  they  frequently  break  out  into  violent  fits  of 
rage,  showing  every  sign  of  natural  wildness.  The  Amer- 
ican horses,  on  the  contrary,  can  be  brought  to  perfect 
obedience,  and  even  rendered  docile,  within  a  few  weeks 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


193 


after  they  have  been  taken  wild  from  the  prairies.  It  is 
believed  that  many  of  the  Asiatic  herds  have  always  been 
in  a  wild  state,  while  it  is  known  that  those  in  America  are 
descended  from  Spanish  horses  that  escaped  from  their 
owners. 


i  Deaxtght  {draft) ,  the  act  of  drawing  a  load. 

2  Bub'-den,  the  act  of  carrying  a  load. 

3  Fleet'-ness,  swiftness. 

*  Sens' -i-tive,  quick  in  feeling  or  percep- 
tion. 

5  Res'-o-lEte,  determined. 

6  Xe'-doe,  eagerness. 

7  Qutv'-eb,  a  case  for  arrows.    It  here  means 
the  arrows  themselves. 

8  Swae'-low-eth.     He  is  so  eager  in  the 


battle  that  he  is  said  to  "swallow"  the 
ground  itself. 
9  Do-mains',  pasture-grounds ;  lands  occu- 
pied by  these  horses  in  their  wild  state. 

10  Frol'-i€-s6me,  full  of  pranks. 

11  Piebc'-ing,  keen. 

12  Ho-ri'-zon,  the  line  where  the  earth  and 
sky  seem  to  meet. 

13  Reg-on-noi'-ter,   to  examine;    take  a 
survey. 


LESSON  VI. 

ANECDOTES  OF  THE  HORSE. 


Race  Horse, 
"  Eclipse." 


Napoleon's  Horse, 
"Marengo." 


Tartar  wild 
Horse. 


1.  In  submission  and  attachment  to  man,  the  horse  is 
equaled  only  by  the  dog  and  the  elephant.  He  soon  learns 
to  distinguish1  the  voice  of  a  kind  master  and  to  come  at 
his  call ;  he  rejoices  in  his  presence,  and  seems  restless. and 
unhappy  in  his  absence;  he  joins  with  him  willingly  in 
any  work ;  and  though  frequently  fierce  and  dangerous  to 
strangers,  he  is  seldom  faithless2  to  those  with  whom  he  is 
familiar,  unless  under  the  most  inhuman3  and  barbarous 
treatment. 

2.  During  the  war  in  the  Spanish  peninsula,  thr 

peter  of  a  French  cavalry  troop  had  a  fine  hor?'        °  trum- 
to  him,  of  which  he  became  passionately  fo"        ~>e  assigned 

T  .ad.     The  horse 


194  willson's  third  reader.  Pa*t  in. 

also  showed  the  greatest  affection  for  his  new  master.  The 
sound  of  the  trumpeter's  voice,  the  sight  of  his  uniform, 
or  the  twang  of  his  trumpet,  was  sufficient  to  throw  the 
animal  into  a  state  of  excitement ;  and  he  appeared  to  be 
pleased  and  happy  only  when  under  the  saddle  of  his  rider. 

3.  Strange  as  it  may  seem,  this  horse  was  unruly  and 
useless  for  every  body  else ;  for  once,  on  being  removed 
to  another  part  of  the  forces,5  and  placed  in  the  charge  of 
a  young  officer,  he  refused  to  carry  his  new  rider,  and  ran 
back  to  the  trumpeter's  station.  There  he  took  his  stand, 
and  it  was  found  necessary  to  allow  the  trumpeter  to  take 
charge  of  him  again. 

4.  He  carried  this  man,  during  nearly  three  years, 
through  the  wars  of  the  Peninsula,  and  brought  him  safe 
out  of  many  difficulties.  At  last  the  company  to  which 
he  belonged  was  defeated,  and  in  the  confusion  of  retreat 
the  trumpeter  was  mortally  wounded.  Dropping  from  his 
horse,  his  body  was  found  after  several  days  stretched 
upon  the  ground,  with  the  faithful  animal  still  standing  by 
its  side. 

5.  During  this  long  time  it  seems  the  animal  had  never 

quitted  the  body  of  his  dead 
_^ri&  ==  master,  but  had  stood  senti- 

nel6 over  it,  scaring  away  the 
birds  of  prey,  and  remaining 
without  food  or  water.  When 
found  he  was  very  weak, 
partly  from  loss  of  blood 
through  wounds,  but  chiefly  from  want  of  food,  of  which, 
in  the  excess  of  his  grief,  he  could  not  be  prevailed  upon 
to  partake. 

6.  Though  the  horse  has  naturally  a  kind  disposition, 
yet  there  are  many  well-known  instances  of  his  recollect- 
m£4pjuries  and  fearfully  revenging  them.  A  person  near 
BostoiKwas  in  the  habit,  whenever  he  wished  to  catch  his 
horse  in  the  field,  of  taking  a  quantity  of  corn  in  a  meas- 
ure, by  way  of  bait.     On  calling  to  him,  the  horse  would 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY.— THE   MAMMALIA.  195 

come  up  and  eat  the  corn,  while  the  bridle  was  put  over 
his  head. 

7.  But  the  owner  having  deceived  the  animal  several 
times  by  calling  him  when  he  had  no  corn  in  the  measure, 
the  horse  at  length  began  to  suspect  the  design ;  and  com- 
ing up  one  day,  as  usual,  on  being  called,  looked  into  the 
measure,  and  seeing  it  empty,  reared  on  his  hind  legs,  and 
striking  with  his  fore  feet,  killed  his  master  on  the  spot. 
A  good  master  will  never  cheat  his  horse  by  false  prom- 
ises. 

8.  Sometimes  the  horse  shows  great  obstinacy,7  and  suf- 
fers himself  to  be  whipped  and  bruised  in  the  severest 
manner  rather  than  yield  to  the  wishes  of  his  master ;  but 
there  is  little  doubt  that  this  usually,  and  perhaps  in  all 
cases,  arises  from  some  bad  treatment  in  his  early  training; 
for  many  horses  have  very  poor  teachers. 

9.  On  one  occasion  we  saw  a  horse  suddenly  stop,  in  a 
fit  of  obstinacy,  as  he  was  drawing  a  load  of  stones  from  a 
quarry.  Perhaps  the  harness  hurt  him,  and  he  could  not 
make  known  the  difficulty,  or  perhaps  he  thought  the  load 
too  heavy.  Whipping  and  the  most  shameful  tortures 
were  resorted8  to  to  make  him  go  forward,  but  all  to  no 
purpose.  We  believe  he  would  have  suffered  himself  to 
be  cut  in  pieces  rather  than  stir  one  foot. 

10.  At  last  the  driver,  in  a  fit  of  desperation,9  threw  an 
iron  chain  around  the  neck  of  the  animal,  and  attached10 
another  horse  to  the  chain ;  but  no  sooner  did  the  obstinate 
brute  see  the  design  of  this  new  application,  than  he  rush- 
ed forward,  and  from  that  day  the  simple  jingling  of  a 
chain  was  sufficient  to  cure  him  of  any  fit  of  obstinacy. 

11.  The  horse  is  naturally  a  social  animal,  fond  of  com- 
pany. Some  horses  are  unwilling  to  stay  in  a  stable  or 
in  a  field  by  themselves ;  and  yet  the  presence  of  a  dog, 
of  a  cow,  of  a  goat,  or  a  pet  lamb,  will  perfectly  satisfy 
them.  The  attachments  which  they  thus  form  are  some- 
times very  curious. 

12.  A  gentleman  of  Bristol,  in  England,  had  a  grey- 


196  WILLSON'S  THIKD   KEADEK.  Part  III. 

hound  which  slept  in  a  stable  with  a  very  fine  horse  about 
five  years  old.  It  was  a  common  practice  with  the  gen- 
tleman to  whom  they  belonged  to  call  at  the  stable  for  the 
greyhound  to  accompany  him  in  his  walks.  On  such  oc- 
casions the  horse  would  look  over  his  shoulder  at  the  dog 
with  much  anxiety,  and  neigh  in  a  manner  which  plainly 
said,  "  Let  me  also  accompany  you." 

13.  When  the  dog  returned  to  the  stable  he  was  always 
welcomed  by  a  loud  neigh.  He  would  then  run  up  to  the 
horse  and  lick  his  nose ;  and,  in  return,  the  horse  would 
scratch  the  dog's  back  with  his  teeth.  One  day,  when  the 
groom11  was  out  with  the  horse  and  greyhound  for  exer- 
cise, a  large  dog  attacked  the 
latter,  and  quickly  bore  him 
to  the  ground ;  on  which  the 
horse  threw  back  his  ears, 
and,  in  spite  of  all  the  efforts 
of  the  groom,  rushed  at  the 
strange  dog,  seized  him  by 
the  back  with  his  teeth,  made 
him  quit  his  hold  of  the  grey- 
hound, and  shook  him  till  a  large  piece  of  the  skin  gave 
way. 

14.  The  horse  which  has  been  accustomed  to  military 
service  becomes  much  attached  to  soldiers,  and  fond  of 
military  show  and  parade.  A  writer  on  Natural  History 
says,  "  If  an  old  military  horse,  even  when  reduced  almost 
to  skin  and  bone,  hears  the  roll  of  a  drum  or  the  twang 
of  a  trumpet,  the  freshness  of  his  youth  seems  to  come 
upon  him ;  and  if  he  at  the  same  time  gets  a  sight  of  men 
clad  in  uniform  and  drawn  up  in  line,  it  is  no  easy  matter 
to  prevent  him  from  joining  them." 

15.  When  the  English  general  Gillespie  fell  in  battle  in 
India,  his  fine  black  charger12  was  purchased  by  the  sol- 
diers of  his  company.  As  a  tribute13  of  respect  to  their 
late  commander,  the  noble  animal  was  led  at  the  head  of 
the  regiment  on  a  march,  and  was  usually  indulged  with 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA, 


197 


taking  his  old  post  of  honor  when  the  salute  of  passing 
squadrons  was  given  on  review  days. 

16.  When  the  regiment  was  ordered  home  to  England, 
the  soldiers  were  obliged  to  dispose  of  their  favorite,  and 
he  was  bought  by  a  wealthy  gentleman,  with  the  design 
of  allowing  him  to  end  his  days  in  comfort ;  but  when  the 
company  had  marched,  and  the  sound  of  the  trumpet  had 
died  away  in  the  distance,  the  old  war-horse  refused  to 
eat;  and,  on  the  first  opportunity,  being  led  out  of  the 
stable,  he  broke  away,  and,  galloping  to  his  ancient  sta- 
tion on  the  parade,  after  neighing  aloud,  dropped  down 
and  died. 

17.  Anecdotes  sufficient  to  fill  a  volume  might  be  given, 
showing  many  noble  traits  in  the  character  of  the  horse. 
He  has  been  trained  with  care  for  the  value  of  his  serv- 
ices, which  are  familiar  to  every  one,  but  so  familiar  as  to 
be  overlooked  and  scarcely  thought  of  by  most  people. 
After  centuries  of  domestic  use,  he  is  still  the  most  valu- 
able acquisition14  which  man  has  made  from  the  animal 
world.  And  how  could  we  now  do  without  him  ?  What 
a  shame  it  is  that  man  does  not  always  treat  kindly  an  an- 
imal so  willing,  so  obedient,  so  useful,  and  capable  of 
showing  so  much  affection  for  his  master ! 


1  Dis-tin'-guish,  know;  recognize. 

2  Faith'-t.ess,    disobedient;    wanting   in 
faithfulness. 

3  In-hl'-man,  cruel;  unfeeling. 
*  As-sTgn'ed,  given  ;  allotted. 

6  For'ces,  army. 

«  Sen'-ti-nel,  a  soldier  on  guard. 

?  Ob'-sti-na-cy,  stubbornness. 


s  Re-sSrt'-ed  to,  made  use  of. 
9  Des-pe-ra'-tion,  rage. 

10  At-tach'ed,  fastened. 

11  Groom,  one  who  has  the  charge  of  horses- 

12  CHARi'-ER,  war-horse. 

13  TRiB'-tiTE,  mark ;  sign. 

i*  A€-qui-si  -tion,  thing  acquired  or  ob. 
tained. 


.4flfl& 


»',« 


m® 


Zebra,  Hippotigris  zebra. 


Wild  Ass,  Asinus  onager. 


198 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  III. 


LESSON  VII. 


|| 


WORK-HORSES  RESTING  ON  A  SUNDAY. 

1    "Tis  Sabbath-day.     The  poor  man  walks  blithe1  from 

his  cottage  door, 
And  to  his  prattling2  young  ones  talks,  as  they  skip  on 

before ; 
But,  looking  to  a  field  at  hand,  where  the  grass  grew 

rich  and  high, 
A  no  less  cheerful  Sabbath  band  of  horses  met  his  eye. 

2.  Poor,  skinny  beasts!  that  go  all  week  with  loads  of 

earth  and  stones, 
Bearing,  with  aspect3  dull  and  meek,  hard  work  and 

cudgeled  bones ! 
But  now,  let  loose  to  roam  athwart4  the  farmer's  clover 

lea,5 
With  whisking  tails,  and  jump  and  snort,  they  speak  a 

clumsy  glee. 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  199 

3.  Lolling  across  each  other  s  necks,  some  look  like  broth- 

ers dear ; 
Others  are  full  of  flings  and  kicks,  antics6  uncouth7  and 

queer ; 
One  tumbles  wild  from  side  to  side,  with  hoofs  tossed 

to  the  sun, 
Cooling  his  old  gray  seamy  side,  and  making  dreadful 

fun. 

4.  I  thought  how  pleasant  'twas  to  see,  on  that  bright  Sab- 

bath-day, 

Those  toiling  creatures  all  set  free  to  take  some  harm- 
less play. 

0 !  if  to  us  one  precious  thing,  not  theirs  (a  soul !)  is 
given, 

Kindness  to  them  will  be  a  wing  to  carry  it  on 
to  heaven. 


R.  Chambers. 


i  Blithe,  merry ;  joyous. 

2  Prat'-tling,  idle  or  trivial  talking. 

3  as'-pect,  look;  appearance. 

4  A-thwart,  across  ;  over. 


5  Lea  (Je),  a  meadow  or  plain. 
e  an'-tics,  pranks  ;  gambols. 
7  Un-€outh',  odd ;  strange. 


THE  STEED  GAMARRA. 

1.  Gramarra  is  a  dainty  steed, 
Strong,  black,  and  of  a  noble  breed, 
Full  of  fire  and  full  of  bone, 
With  all  his  line  of  fathers  known ; 
Fine  his  nose,  his  nostrils  thin, 
But  blown  abroad  by  pride  within ! 

2.  Look,  how  round  his  straining  throat 
Grace  and  shifting  beauty  float ! 

His  mane  is  like  a  river  flowing, 
And  his  eyes  like  embers  glowing 
In  the  darkness  of  the  night ; 
And  his  pace  as  swift  as  light. 

W.  C.  Bennett. 


200 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  III. 


LESSON  vni. 


I     ■J«s' 


THE  WILD  HORSE  OF  THE  PRAIRIES. 
(FROM  KENNEDY'S  TEXAS.) 

1.  After  riding  through  beds  of  sunflowers  miles  in 
extent,  about  half  past  ten  we  saw  a  creature  in  motion  at 
a  great  distance,  and  instantly  started  in  pursuit.  Fifteen 
minutes  riding  brought  us  near  enough  to  discover,1  by  its 
neetness,2  that  it  could  not  be  a  buffalo,  yet  it  was  too  large 
for  an  antelope  or  deer.  On  we  went,  and  soon  distin- 
guished3 the  erect  head,  the  flowing  mane,  and  the  beauti- 
ful proportions  of  the  wild  horse  of  the  prairie. 

2.  He  saw  us,  and  sped4  away  with  an  arrowy  fleetness 
till  he  gained  a  distant  eminence,  when  he  turned  to  gaze 
at  us,  and  suffered  us  to  approach  within  four  hundred 
yards,  when  he  bounded  away  again  with  a  graceful  ve- 
locity5 delightful  to  behold.  We  paused,  for  to  pursue  him 
with  a  view  to  capture  was  clearly  out  of  the  question. 

3.  When  he  discovered  that  we  were  not  following  him, 
he  also  paused,  and  now  seemed  to  be  inspired6  with  curi- 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY.— THE   MAMMALIA.  201 

osity  equal  to  our  own ;  for,  after  making  a  slight  turn,  he 
came  nearer,  until  we  could  distinguish  the  inquiring  ex- 
pression of  his  clear  bright  eye,  and  the  quick  curl  of  his 
inflated  nostrils.  We  had  no  hopes  of  catching  him,  but 
our  curiosity  led  us  to  approach  him  slowly. 

4.  We  had  not  advanced  far  before  he  moved  away, 
and,  circling  round,  approached  on  the  other  side.  It  was 
a  beautiful  animal — a  sorrel,7  with  jet  black  mane  and 
tail.  As  he  moved  we  could  see  the  muscles  quiver  in 
his  glossy  limbs ;  and  when,  half  playfully  and  half  in 
fright,  he  tossed  his  flowing  mane  in  the  air,  and  flourished 
his  long  silky  tail,  our  admiration  knew  no  bounds,  and  we 
longed — hopelessly,  vexatiously8  longed — to  possess  him. 

5.  We  might'  have  shot  him  where  we  stood ;  but,  had 
we  been  starving,  we  could  scarcely  have  done  it.  He  was 
free,  and  we  loved  him  for  the  very  possession  of  that  lib- 
erty we  longed  to  take  from  him ;  but  we  would  not  kill 
him.  We  fired  a  rifle  over  his  head :  he  heard  the  shot 
and  the  whiz  of  the  ball,  and  away  he  went,  disappearing 
in  the  next  hollow,  showing  himself  again  as  he  crossed 
the  distant  ridges,  still  seeming  smaller,  until  he  faded 
away  to  a  speck  on  the  far  horizon's  verge. 

6.  In  the  following  language  Byron  has  happily  de- 
scribed the  manners  of  a  surprised  herd  of  Tartar  horses : 

"They  stop,  they  start,  they  snuff  the  air, 
Gallop  a  moment  here  and  there, 
Approach,  retire,  wheel  round  and  round, 
Then  plunging  back  with  sudden  bound, 
Headed  by  one  black  mighty  steed, 
Who  seemed  the  patriarch9  of  his  breed,10 

Without  a  single  speck  or  hair 
Of  white  upon  his  shaggy  hide ; 
They  snort,  they  foam,  neigh,  swerve  aside, 
And  backward  to  the  forest  fly, 
By  instinct,'1  from  a  human  eye." 


1  DiB-eov'-EE,  to  find  out ;  ascertain. 
3  Fleet'-ness,  swiftness. 

3  Dis-tin'-guishet),  discerned ;  perceived. 

4  Sped,  moved  swiftly. 

5  Ve-loo'-i-tt,  swiftness  ;  rapidity. 

6  In-spTred',  filled  with :  infused. 


7  SSb'-rel,  of  a  reddish  color. 

8  Vex-a'-tious-ly,  provokingly. 

9  Pa'-tri-abch,  father  and  ruler. 
io  Breed,  race. 

11  in'-stinct,  natural  feeling,  as  opposed 
to  reason. 


12 


202  WTLLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Part  III. 


LESSON  IX. 


THE  ARAB'S  FAREWELL  TO  HIS  HORSE. 
[The  Arabs  have  the  finest  horses  in  the  world,  and  they  are  very  fond 
of  them.  It  is  related  that  the  French  consul  at  Alexandria  once  gave  a 
poor  Arab  a  purse  of  gold  for  a  fine  horse,  with  the  design  of  sending  the  an- 
imal to  the  King  of  France.  The  Arab  took  the  money,  but,  after  having  in 
vain  endeavored  to  tear  himself  away  from  his  horse,  flung  the  purse  upon 
the  ground,  sprung  upon  his  horse's  back,  and  was  quickly  out  of  sight. 
The  following  beautiful  lines  were  written  upon  this  touching  incident.] 

1.  My  beautiful,  my  beautiful' !  that  standest  meekly  by, 
With  thy  proudly-arched  and  glossy  neck,  and  dark 

and  fiery  eye' ! 
Fret  not  to  roam  the  desert  now  with  all  thy  winged 

speed' ; 
I  may  not  mount  on  thee  again' ! — thou'rt  sold,  my  Arab 

steed' ! 

2.  Fret  not  with  that  impatient  hoof,  snuff  not  the  breezy 

wind' ; 
The  farther  that  thou  fliest  now',  so  far  am  I  behind' ; 
The  stranger  hath  thy  bridle  rein',  thy  master  hath  his 

gold'; 
Fleet-limbed  and  beautiful',  farewellv ! — thou'rt  sold,  my 

steed',  thou'rt  sold' ! 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  203 

3.  Farewell !     Those  free,  untired  limbs  full  many  a  mile 
.    must  roam, 

To  reach  the  chill  and  wintry  clime1  that  clouds  the 

stranger's  home ; 
Some  other  hand,  less  kind,  must  now  thy  corn  and  bed 

prepare ; 
That  silky  mane  I  braided  once'  must  be  another's  care. 

4.  Only  in  sleep  shall  I  behold  that  dark  eye  glancing 

bright — 
Only  in  sleep  shall  hear  again  that  step  so  firm  and  light ; 
And  when  I  raise  my  -dreaming  arms  to  check  or  cheer 

thy  speed', 
Then  must  I  startling  wake,  to  feel  thou'rt  sold,  my 

Arab  steed'! 

5.  Ah !  rudely  then\  unseen  by  me\  some  cruel  hand  may 

chide,2 

Till  foam-wreaths  lie,  like  crested  waves,  along  thy 
panting  side, 

And  the  rich  blood  that's  in  thee  swells,  in  thy  indig- 
nant3 pain, 

Till  careless  eyes  that  on  thee  gaze  may  count  each 
starting  vein ! 

6.  Will  they  ill  use  thee'  ?  —  if  I  thought  —  but  no^  —  it 

can  not  ber ; 
Thou  art  so  swift,  yet  easy  curbed',4  so  gentle,  yet  so 

free' ; 
And  yet  if  haply,  when  thou'rt  gone,  this  lonely  heart 

should  yearn', 
Can  the  hand  that  casts  thee  from  it  now,  command 

thee  to  return'  ? 

n 

7.  "Return'!"  —  alasM   my  Arab  steedM  what  will  thy 

master  do, 
When  thou,  that  wast  his  all  of  joy,  hast  vanished5  from 
his  view^  ? 


204 


WILLSOISTS  THIRD   READER. 


Part  III. 


When  the  dim  distance  greets  mine  eyes\  and  through 

the  gathering  tears 
Thy  bright  form  for  a  moment',  like  the  false  mirage,6 

appears^  ? 

8.  Slow  and  unmounted  will  I  roam,  with  wearied  foot, 

alone, 
Where,  with  fleet  step  and  joyous  bound,  thou  oft  hast 

borne  me  onr ; 
And  sitting  down  by  the  green  well,  I'll  pause,  and 

sadly  think, 
'Twas  here  he  bowed  his  glossy  neck  when  last  I  saw 

him  drink\ 

9.  When  last  I  saw  thee  drink' !     Awayr !  the  fevered7 

dream  is  o'err ! 
I  could  not  live  a  day,  and  know  that  we  should  meet 

no  more' ; 
They  tempted  me,  my  beautiful' !  for  hunger's  power 

is  strong — 
They  tempted  me,  my  beautiful' !  but  I  have  loved  too 

long\ 

10.  Who  said  that  I  had  given  thee  up7  Who  said  that 
thou  wert  soldx  ? 

'Tis  false  I  'tis  false,  my  Arab  steed' !  I  fling  them  back 
their  goldv !     , 

Thus — thus  I  leap  upon  thy  back,  and  scour8  the  dis- 
tant plains ! 

Away  I  Who  overtakes  us  now  may  claim  thee  for 
his  pains.9  Mrs.  Norton. 


i  €ltme,  country. 

2  Chide,  use  harshly ;  reprove. 

3  In-biq'-nant,  denoting  anger  and  con- 
tempt. 

*  Cttbb'ed,  checked  ;  controlled. 
5  Van'-ibued,  disappeared. 


«  Mi-eage'  (me-rdzhe'),  the  deceitful  ap. 
pearance  of  water  in  the  desert,  where 
there  is  nq  water. 

7  Fe'-vered,  exciting. 

8  Scoub,  »in  swiftly  over. 

9  Pains,  labor. 


1st  DlV.  OF 


ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


205 


THE  SECOND  DIVISION  OF  THE  HOOFED  QUADRUPEDS  EMBRACES  THE  RU- 
MINATING* ANIMALS.  THESE  ARE  THE  CAMELS  AND  GIRAFFE,  THE  AN- 
IMALS OF  THE  DEER  KIND,  OF  THE  OX  KIND,  SHEEP  AND  GOATS,  AND 
THE  LARGE  CLASS  OF  ANIMALS  OF  THE  ANTELOPE  KIND. 

LESSON  X. 

CAMELS  AND  GIRAFFES. 


Scale  of  Feet. 

1.  Llama,  or  American  Camel,  Achenia  llama.  2.  Bactrian  Camel,  Camelus  Bactri~ 
amis.  3.  Giraffe,  or  Camelopard,  Camelopardalis  giraffe.  4.  Arabian  Camel,  or  Drom- 
edary, Camelus  dromedarius. 

1.  The  ruminating1  animals,  or  those  which  chew  the 
cufl,  are  not  only  found  in  nearly  all  parts  of  the  world, 
but  they  are,  above  any  other  class  of  animals,  the  most 
important  to  man.  They  supply  him  with  valuable  beasts 
of  burden,  with  the  best  animal  food,  and  with  the  best 
materials  for  his  clothing. 

2.  Prominent2  among  the  ruminants  is  the  camel  of  the 
Old  World,  which  is  a  most  useful  animal,  as  it  is  found 
'where  it  is  most  needed,  in  lands  where  there  are  extensive 


*  Ruminating,  as  here  applied  to  animals,  means  chewing  the  cud.  The  animals  of 
this  class  have  four  stomachs,  or  four  divisions  of  the  stomach,  and  they  have  the  singu- 
lar faculty  of  chewing  their  food  a  second  time  by  bringing  it  back  to  the  mouth  after  it 
has  been  swallowed. 


206  WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Part  III. 

deserts.  From  its  use  in  crossing  the  great  oceans  of  sand 
in  Northern  Africa  and  Arabia,  it  is  sometimes  called 
"  The  Ship  of  the  Desert." 

3.  The  Bactrian  camel,  which  is  now  used  throughout  a 
great  part  of  Asia,  has  two  large  humps  on  its  back,  and 
is  often  from  seven  to  nine  feet  high.  The  Arabian  cam- 
el, or  dromedary,3  which  has  only  one  hump  on  its  back, 
and  is  not  quite  so  large  as  the  other  animal,  is  also  used 
as  a  beast  of  burden  in  Western  Asia,  but  more  especially 
in  Northern  Africa,  where  it  forms  nearly  the  whole  wealth 
of  the  wandering  Arab. 

4.  The  strong  dromedary  will  carry  a  weight  of  from  six 
hundred  to  a  thousand  pounds,  and  with  this  load  it  will 
travel  over  the  burning  sands  from  twenty  to  thirty  miles 
in  a  day.  Those  that  are  used  for  speed  alone  will  carry 
a  rider  one  hundred  miles  in  twenty -four  hours. 

5.  They  can  drink  a  large  quantity  of  water  at  a  time, 
and  then  go  without  it  seven  or  eight  days,  so  that  in 
countries  where  water  is  scarce,  and  wells  or  springs  are 
distant  from  each  other  several  days'  journey,  the  camel  is 
the  only  beast  of  burden  that  can  be  used.  It  not  only 
carries  the  Arab  over  the  desert,  but  it  furnishes  milk  to 
support  him  on  the  journey.  The  flesh  of  the  camel  is 
also  eaten ;  its  hair  is  woven  into  cloth ;  and  its  skin  is 
made  into  harness  and  saddles. 

6.  Although  the  camel  is  usually  a  gentle  and  obedient 
animal,  kneeling  for  its  rider  to  mount,  and  obeying  his 
voice,  yet  it  complains  when  its  load  is  too  heavy;  and, 
if  cruelly  treated,  it  will  sometimes  become  furious,  and 
kill  its  master. 

7.  The  llama,4  or  American  camel,  which  is  found  in 
South  America,  although  not  half  so  large  as  the  drome- 
dary, is  also  used  as  a  beast  of  burden.  There  are  several 
kinds  of  these  animals ;  and  from  one  of  them,  the  Alpaca5 
llama,  is  obtained  the  beautiful  wool  from  which  Alpaca 
cloth  is  made. 

8.  The  other  animal  which  is  shown  in  the  engraving 


1st  DlV.  OF 


.  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


207 


at  the  head  of  this  lesson  is  the  giraffe,6  or  camelopardj7  a 
very  singular-looking  animal,  and  a  native  of  Africa.  It 
is  the  tallest  of  all  known  quadrupeds,  and  can  run  as  fast 
as  a  horse.  A  tall  man  can  walk  under  it  without  stoop 
ing ;  and  it  can  raise  its  head  more  than  twenty  feet  from 
the  ground.  It  defends  itself  by  striking  with  both  the 
fore  and  the  hind  feet ;  and  even  the  lion  seldom  ventures 
to  attack  it  in  open  combat. 

9.  In  their  native  wilds  the  giraffes  are  timorous,  and 
flee  immediately  from  danger ;  but  when  tamed  they  lose 
a  great  part  of  their  timidity,8  become  mild  and  docile, 
know  their  keeper,  and  take  from  the  hand  what  is  offer- 
ed to  them. 


«  Ru'-mi-na-ting,  chewing  the  cud. 

2  PbSm'-i-nent,  distinguished. 

3  Drom'-e-da-ky. 

4  Lla'vMA,  or  La'-ma. 


s  Al-paV-a  (nl-pak'-ah). 

6  Gi-kaffe',  or  Gi'-baff  (jV '-raff). 

7  €am'-el-o-paed. 

8  Ti-mid'-i-ty,  want  of  couragp. 


LESSON  XI. 


THE  CAMEL. 

1.  Camel,  thou  art  good  and  mild, 
Docile  as  a  little  child ; 

Thou,  wast  made  for  usefulness, 
Man  to  comfort  and  to  bless ; 
Thou  dost  clothe  him ;  thou  dost  feed ; 
Thou  dost  lend  to  him  thy  speed ; 

2.  And  through  wilds  of  trackless  sand, 
In  the  hot  Arabian  land, 


208 


WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER. 


Part  III 


Where  no  rock  its  shadow  throws, 
Where  no  cooling  water  flows, 
Where  the  hot  air  is  not  stirred 
By  the  wing  of  singing  bird, 
There  thou  goest,  untired  and  meek, 
Day  by  day,  and  week  by  week ; 

3.  With  thy  load  of  precious  things — 
Silk  for  merchants,  gold  for  kings, 
Pearls  of  Ormuz,  riches  rare, 
Damascene,1  and  Indian  ware — 
Bale  on  bale,  and  heap  on  heap, 
Freighted2  like  a  costly  ship. 

4.  And  when  week  by  week  is  gone, 
And  the  traveler  journeys  on 
Feebly — when  his  strength  is  fled, 
And  his  hope  and  heart  seem  dead, 
Camel,  thou  dost  turn  thine  eye 
On  him  kindly,  soothingly,3 

As  if  thou  wouldst,  cheering,  say, 
"  Journey  on  for  this  one  day — 
Do  not  let  thy  heart  despond  !4 
There  is  water  yet  beyond : 
I  can  scent^  it  in  the  air — 
Do  not  let  thy  heart  despair!" 
And  thou  guid'st  the  traveler  there. 

5.  Camel,  thou  art  good  and  mild, 
Gentle  as  a  little  child ; 

Thou  wast  made  for  usefulness, 
Man  to  comfort  and  to  bless ; 
And  the  desert  wastes  would  be 
Untracked  regions  but  for  thee ! 


*  T)am-a3-oknk',  from  Damascus. 

*  Fbbioht'-ep  (frdte'-rd),  loaded. 

3  Sooth'-inq-ly,  in  a  kind  and  encouraging 
manner. 


Mary  Howm 

4  Dk-spont>',  be  dejected  or  cast  down. 

5  Poknt,  smell. 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


209 


LESSON  XII. 

ANIMALS  OF  THE  DEER  KIND  (CERVIDM). 


Scale  of  Feet. 

1.  Moose  or  Elk,  Cervus  dices.  2.  Reindeer,  Cervus  rangifer.  3.  Java  Musk-deer, 
MoschnsJavanicus.  4  Common  Deer  of  America,  Cervus  Virginianus.  5.  The  Wapiti, 
American  Stag,  or  Round-horned  Elk,  Cervus  Canadensis. 

1.  The  animals  of  the  deer  kind,  of  which  there' are 
more  than  forty  species,  form  a  group  which  has  ever  been 
greatly  admired.  Many  of  them  seem  to  have  been  form- 
ed to  embellish1  the  forest,  and  impart2  admiration  to  the 
solitudes3  of  nature.  Considering  their  size,  they  are  match- 
less4 in  speed  and  vigor ;  and  they  afford  the  highest  sport 
to  the  hunter,  and  furnish  skins  of  much  value,  and  de- 
licious food. 

2.  "With  the  exception  of  the  reindeer,  only  the  males 
have  horns,  or  antlers,  as  they  are  called.  In  most  of  the 
species  these  are  shed  every  year,  and  up  to  a  certain  age 
they  increase  yearly  in  size.  Sometimes  they  spread  into 
broad  palms,5  which  send  out  sharp  points  around  their 
outer  edges ;  sometimes  they  divide  into  curiously-shaped 


210  WILLSON'S  THIED  READER.  Part  III. 

branches,  some  projecting  over  the  forehead,  some  erect, 
long,  straight,  and  pointed,  and  others  hanging  backward 
over  the  neck  and  shoulders ;  yet,  in  whatever  way  they 
grow,  they  give  an  air  of  grandeur6  to  the  animal. 

3.  The  moose,  or  flat-horned  elk,  which  surpasses  all 
others  of  the  deer  kind  in  size  and  strength,  is  found  in 
the  northern  parts  of  Europe  and  America.  It  is  still 
abundant  in  Canada  and  in  the  forests  of  Maine.  Its 
height  is  from  four  and  a  half  to  six  feet  at  the  shoulder ; 
its  color  is  of  a  reddish -brown  when  young,  growing  dark- 
er with  age,  until  it  becomes  quite  black ;  so  that  the  an- 
imal, when  old,  is  often  called  "the  black  elk."  The 
branching  horns  sometimes  spread  eight  or  ten  feet  apart, 
and  weigh  from  fifty  to  sixty  pounds. 

4.  The  Canada  stag,  or  round-horned  elk,  another  no- 
ble species  of  the  deer  kind,  is  found  throughout  nearly  all 
North  America.  It  is  scarcely  less  in  size  than  the  moose, 
but  differs  from  it  in  having  a  more  graceful  form,  and  in 
having  the  horns  round  and  branching,  and  never  palma- 
ted.7  The  elks  are  often  tamed ;  but  the  males,  like  those 
of  the  common  deer,  as  they  advance  in  age,  are  apt  to  be- 
come troublesome  and  dangerous. 

5.  "A  gentleman  in  the  interior  of  Pennsylvania,  who 
kept  a  pair  of  elks  in  a  large  woodland  pasture,  was  in  the 
habit  of  taking  pieces  of  bread  or  a  few  handfuls  of  corn 
with  him,  when  he  walked  in  the  inclosure,  to  feed  these 
animals,  and  call  them  up  to  him  for  the  amusement  of 
his  friends. 

6.  "Having  occasion  to  pass  through  this  field  one  day, 
and  not  having  provided  himself  with  bread  or  corn  for 
his  pets,  he  was  followed  by  the  buck,  who  expected  his 
usual  treat.  The  gentleman,  irritated  by  the  buck  follow- 
ing him  so  closely,  turned  round,  and,  picking  up  a  small 
stick,  hit  the  animal  a  smart  blow. 

7.  "To  his  astonishment  and  alarm,  the  buck,  lowering 
his  head,  rushed  at  him,  endeavoring  to  strike  him  with 
his  horns.    Luckily,  the  gentleman  stumbled  as  he  attempt- 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  211 

ed  to  run,  and  fell  over  the  prostrate  trunk  of  a  tree,  near 
which  lay  another  log,  and,  being  able  to  throw  his  body 
between  the  two  trunks,  the  elk  was  unable  to  injure  him, 
although  it  butted  at  him  repeatedly,  and  kept  him  pris- 
oner for  more  than  an  hour.  Not  liking  this  treatment, 
the  gentleman,  as  soon  as  he  escaped,  gave  orders  to  have 
the  unruly  animal  destroyed." 

8.  The  common  deer  of  America,  sometimes  called  the 
Virginian  deer,  was  once  very  numerous  throughout  the 
present  United  States,  and  is  still  found  in  considerable 
numbers  in  large  wooded  tracts  in  the  interior  and  on  the 
western  frontier.  No  wild  animal  of  our  country  deserves 
to  be  regarded  with  more  interest  than  this. 

9.  It  is  not  less  noted  than  the  English  fallow-deer, 
which  it  much  resembles.  It  justly  exteites  admiration  by 
its  beautiful  form,  its  graceful  leap  or  bound,  and  its  rush- 
ing speed  as  it  passes  like  a  meteor8  by  the  startled  travel- 
er in  the  forest,  while  its  flesh  is  of  the  richest  and  most 
delicate  kind ;  and  its  skin,  of  the  greatest  service  to  the 
Indian,  also  forms  an  important  article  of  commerce. 

10.  The  reindeer,  which  is  often  nearly  as  large  as  the 
moose,  is  found  throughout  Northern  Europe,  Asia,  and 
America,  but  those  of  Lapland  are  said  to  be  the  finest. 
The  color  of  the  animal  is  brown  above  and  white  beneath, 
but  it  becomes  nearly  white  throughout  in  old  age.  Both 
sexes  have  horns,  but  those  of  the  males  are  larger,  lon- 
ger, and  more  branched  than  those  of  the  female. 

11.  The  reindeer  constitutes9  the  whole  wealth  of  the 
Laplanders,  and  supplies  to  them  the  place  of  the  horse, 
the  cow,  the  sheep,  and  the  goat.  Alive  or  dead,  the  rein- 
deer is  equally  useful  to  them.  "When  it  ceases  to  live, 
spoons  are  made  of  its  bones,  glue  of  its  horns,  bowstrings 
and  thread  of  its  tendons,  clothing  of  its  skin,  and  its  flesh 
is  a  savory  food. 

12.  During  its  life  its  milk  is  converted10  into  cheese, 
and  the  animal  is  employed  to  convey  its  owner  over  the 
snowy  wastes  of  his  native  country.     Such  is  the  swift- 


212 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  III. 


ness  of  these  animals,  that  one  of  them,  yoked  to  a  sledge, 
will  travel  more  than  a  hundred  miles  in  a  day. 

13.  The  sledge  is  of  a  curious  construction,11  formed 
somewhat  in  the  shape  of  a  boat,  in  which  the  traveler  is 
tied  like  a  child,  and  which,  if  attempted  to  be  guided  by 
any  person  unaccustomed  to  it,  is  very  apt  to  be  upset.  A 
Laplander  who  is  rich  has  often  more  than  a  thousand 
reindeer. 


1.  Musk-deer  of  Thibet,  Moschus  moschiverus.  2.  English  Fallow-deer,  Cervus  or 
Dama  vulqaris.  3.  Hog-deer,  or  Axis  of  Bengal,  Axis  porcinus.  4.  Common  Roe  or 
Roebuck,  Cervus  capreolw.    5.  Nepaul  Stag,  Cervus  Wallichii. 

14.  The  English  fallow-deer,  once  so  noted  in  the  for- 
ests of  England,  are  now  scarcely  to  be  met  with  in  a  truly 
wild  state,  but  they  are  still  kept  in  extensive  parks  of 
several  thousand  acres.  Six  thousand  head  of  fallow-deer 
have  been  kept  in  one  of  these  inclosures. 

15.  There  are  many  more  animals  of  the  deer  kind 
which  we  have  not  room  to  describe  here.  From  the 
musk-deer  of  Thibet  the  perfume  called  musk  is  obtained. 
In  the  islands  of  Southern  Asia  are  several  very  small 
deer,  some  of  them  not  larger  than  a  full-grown  rabbit. 
A  figure  of  one  of  these,  the  musk-deer  of  Java,  we  have 
placed  in  the  engraving  at  the  head  of  this  lesson,  and  be- 
neath the  great  moose  of  America. 


1  Fm-ukV-lisii,  adorn ;  beautify. 

2  Im-part',  give  ;  bestow, 

3  S5l'-i-tCi>k#,  quiet  places,  like  forests  or 
deserts. 

4  Match'-less,  unequaled. 

6  Palms,  branches   shaped  like  the  hand 
with  the  fingers  spread. 


6  Grand'-eFr,  noble  appearance. 

7  1'ai/-ma-ted,  shaped  like  the  hand. 

8  Me'-te-or,  any  bright  body  shooting  rap- 
idly through  the  air  or  the  heavens. 

9  CSn'-sti-tCtes,  is,  or  comprises. 

10  f  On-vert'-ed,  changed ;  made  into. 

11  €oN-8TRp€'-TiON,  make ;  structure. 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


213 


LESSON  xm. 


DEER-HUNTING. 

1.  M  Magnificent  creature!  so  stately  and  bright ! 

In  the  pride  of  thy  spirit  pursuing  thy  flight ; 
Thy  bold  antlers1  call  on  the  hunter  afar, 
With  a  haughty  defiance  to  come  to  the  war." 

2.  Wherever  wild  deer  abound,  deer-hunting  is  a  favor- 
ite amusement.  Although  the  deer  are  generally  very 
shy  and  timid  animals,  yet  when  wounded,  or  when 
brought  to  bay,2  they  will  often  fight  with  great  despera- 
tion. At  such  times  they  use  their  fore  feet  as  well  as 
horns,  and  inflict  severe  wounds  by  leaping  forward  and 
striking  with  the  edges  of  their  hoofs  held  together. 
When  pursued  by  the  hunters,  they  will  plunge  into  a 
lake  or  river,  if  one  can  be  reached,  and  endeavor  to  es- 
cape from  the  hounds  by  swimming ;  or,  if  no  such  op- 
portunity offers,  and  they  are  surrounded,  they  will  seek 
some  high  cliff  or  rock,  and  there  boldly  face  their  pur- 
suers. 

3.  "On  the  brink  of  the  rock — lo !  he  standeth  at  bay, 

Like  a  victor  that  falls  at  the  close  of  the  day ; 
While  the  hunter  and  hound  in  their  terror  retreat 
From  the  death  that  is  spurned3  from  his  furious  feet." 


214  WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Part  III. 

4.  Various  modes  of  hunting  the  deer  are  practiced  In 
this  country.  Sometimes  they  are  shot  by  the  hunters 
who  lie  in  wait  for  them  near  the  salt  springs  or  "  deer- 
licks"  which  these  animals  frequent ;  they  are  also  tracked 
by  hounds,  and  shot  by  the  hunters  who  station  them- 
selves near  the  paths  which  the  deer  are  accustomed  to 
take  in  their  "runs;"  but  a  more  common  mode  in  the 
Southern  States  is  what  is  called  "fire-hunting,"  which  is 
practiced  in  the  night. 

5.  In  this  case  two  persons  are  essential  to  success.  A 
torch  of  pitch-pine  is  carried  by  one  of  the  party ;  the 
other  keeps  immediately  in  front  with  his  gun.  The  as- 
tonished deer,  instead  of  darting  off,  seems  dazzled  by  the 
light,  and  stands  gazing  at  this  newly-discovered  flame  in 
the  forest. 

6.  The  hunter  sees  the  eyes  of  the  deer  shining  like 
two  tapers  before  him;  he  fires,  and  is  usually  successful. 
Sometimes  there  are  several  deer  in  the  herd,  who  start 
off  for  a  few  rods  at  the  report  of  the  gun,  and  again  turn 
their  eyes  to  the  light.  In  this  manner  two  or  three  are 
frequently  killed  within  fifty  yards  of  each  other. 

7.  But  this  kind  of  hunting  by  torch-light  is  often  at- 
tended with  danger  to  the  cattle  that  may  be  feeding  in 
the  vicinity.  The  eyes  of  a  cow  are  easily  mistaken  for 
those  of  a  deer.  We  conversed  with  a  gentleman  who  in- 
formed us  that  he  had  never  indulged  in  more  than  one 
fire-hunt,  and  was  then  taught  a  lesson  which  cured  him 
of  his  passion  for  this  kind  of  amusement. 

8.  He  believed  that  he  saw  the  eyes  of  a  deer,  and  fired. 
The  animal  bounded  off,  as  he  was  convinced,  mortally 
wounded.  Near  by  he  saw  another  pair  of  eyes,  and  fired 
again.  On  returning  the  next  morning  to  look  for  his 
game,  he  found  that  he  had  killed  two  favorite  colts. 

9.  Another  related  an'  anecdote  of  a  shot  fired  at  what 
he  supposed  to  be  the  shining  eyes  of  a  deer ;  but  he  soon 
learned,  to  his  horror,  that  it  was  a  dog  standing  between 
the  legs  of  a  negro,  who  had  endeavored  to  keep  him 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


215 


quiet.      The    dog    was   killed,    and   the    negro    slightly 
wounded. 

10.  While  the  fawns4  are  still  young,  the  doe5  very  care- 
fully conceals  them  while  she  goes  to  feed ;  but  the  hunt- 
ers often  turn  this  fondness  to  their  own  account  by  imi- 
tating the  cry  of  the  fawn.  The  parent,  regardless  of  her 
own  safety,  runs  to  assist  her  offspring.  "When  a  doe  is 
killed  in  company  with  her  fawn,  the  latter,  showing  no 
fear,  follows  its  captor,  to  whom  it  becomes  so  attached  as 
to  attend  his  steps  at  all  times,  and  obey  his  voice. 


Ant'-lebs,  the  branching  horns  of  the  deer. 
"When  brought  to  bay,"  or  "when  at 
6ay,"  is  when  the  deer  turns  and  faces 
the  dog3. 


3  Sptjbn'ed,  hurled  with  disdain. 

*  Fawn,  a  young  deer. 

5  Dof,  the  female  of  the  common  deer. 


LESSON  XIV. 


THE  REINDEER. 


Keindeer',  not  in  fields  like  ours, 
Full  of  grass  and  bright  with  flowers ; 
Not  in  pasture-dales,1  where  glide 
Ever-flowing  rivers  wide ; 
Not  on  hills  where  verdure2  bright 
Clothes  them  to  the  topmost  height, 


216 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  HI. 


Hast  thou  dwelling7 ;  nor  dost  thou 
Feed  upon  the  orange-bough' ; 
Nor  doth  olive,  nor  doth  vine, 
Bud  and  bloom  in  land  of  thine. 

2.  But  thy  home  and  dwelling  are 
In  a  region  bleak3  and  bare ; 
In  a  dreary  land  of  snow, 
Where  green  weeds  can  scarcely  grow ; 
Where  the  skies  are  gray  and  drear' ; 
Where  'tis  night  for  half  the  year' ; 
Keindeer7,  where,  unless  for  thee7, 
Human  dweller  could  not  be\ 

8.  When  thou  wast  at  first  designed 
By  the  great  Creative  Mind/4 — 
With  thy  patience  and  thy  speed/ 
With  thy  aid  for  human  need7,5 
With  thy  foot  so  formed  to  go 
Over  frozen  wastes  of  snow7 — 
Thou  for  frozen  lands  wast  meant'. 
Ere  the  winter's  frost  was  sent' ; 
And  in  love  He  sent  thee  forth 
To  thy  home,  the  frozen  north, 
Where  He  bade  the  rocks  produce 
Bitter  lichens6  for  thy  use. 

4.  Serving  long7,  and  serving  hard' ; 
Asking  but  a  scant7  reward' ; 
Of  the  snow  a  short  repast, 
Or  the  mosses  cropped8  in  haste\ 
Eeindeer7,  away' !  with  all  thy  strength, 
Speeding  o'er  the  country's  length' ; 
Speeding  onward  like  the  wind, 
With  the  sliding  sledge  behind. 

Mart  Howitt. 


»  Dale,  vale  or  valley. 
»  Vebd'-ube,  greenness  or  freshness  of  vege- 
tation. 
3  Hi.kak,  open  and  windy. 
*  €b*ative  M'np,  the  Creator. 


5  Need,  want ;  necessity. 

8  LT'-chen,  a  certain  plant  that  grows  it 

cold  rocky  countries. 
7  S€ant,  small ;  scarcely  sufficient. 
K  t 'uir  i>F.n,  eaten;  plucked. 


1st  Div.  of ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


217 


LESSON  XV. 

ANIMALS  OF  THE  OX  KIND  (B0V1DJE). 

1  2 


Scale  of  Feet. 


1.  Africau  Buffalo,  L'o.s  cafer.  2.  Musk  Ox,  Ovibos  moschatus.  3.  Zebu,  Taurus  In- 
dicus.  4.  The  Gnu,  or  Horned  Horse,  Catoblejjas  gnu.  5.  American  Buffalo,  or  Bison, 
Bos  Americanus. 

1.  The  form  and  uses  of  the  domestic  ox  and  cow  are 
so  well  known  that  we  need  not  describe  them.  Some 
have  supposed  that  the  domestic  ox  sprung  from  some  of 
the  wild  species  now  existing,  but  others  believe  that  the 
entire  race  of  our  present  cattle  have,  like  the  camel  and 
the  dromedary,  been  for  ages  subjected1  to  the  power  of 
man. 

2.  The  most  important  of  the  wild  species  of  the  ox 
tribe  are  the  African  gnu,  or  horned  horse,  the  African 
buffalo,  the  zebu  of  India,  the  American  musk  ox,  and  the 
American  bison.  Their  differences  in  form  and  size  may 
be  learned  from  the  engraving  at  the  head  of  this  lesson. 

3.  That  singular-looking  animal,  the  gnu,  with  head  and 
hoofs  like  those  of  an  ox,  and  body  like  that  of  a  horse,  is 
found  in  herds  in  the  great  plains  of  Central  and  South- 
ern Africa.     It  was  formerly  classed  among  the  antelopes. 

K 


218  WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Part  III. 

It  is  wild,  and  difficult  to  be  approached,2  but  very  danger- 
ous if  wounded,  turning  upon  the  hunter  and  pursuing 
him,  dropping  on  its  knees  before  making  an  attack,  and 
then  darting  forward  with  amazing3  force  and  velocity. 

4.  The  African  buffalo,  which  is  heavier  than  the  com- 
mon ox,  is  remarkable  for  its  large  and  heavy  horns,  which 
cover  the  whole  forehead,  and  give  to  it  the  appearance 
of  a  mass  of  rock.  It  is  a  ferocious4  and  dangerous  ani- 
mal, and  has  never  been  sufficiently  tamed  to  be  made 
useful  to  man.     It  is  found  only  in  Southern  Africa. 

5.  The  zebu,  or  Brahmin5  bull  of  India,  is  less  than  the 
common  ox  in  size.  Some  have  horns,  and  some  are 
without  them ;  some  have  one  and  some  have  two  humps 
on  the  shoulder.  In  some  parts  of  India  the  zebu  is  sad- 
dled and  ridden,  or  harnessed  to  a  carriage ;  but  the  Brah- 
mins often  consecrate6  the  zebu,  and  set  him  apart  as  sacred 
to  their  god  Siva.  No  one  will  then  dare  to  injure  the 
animal,  or  even  to  drive  him  away  when  he  is  destroying 
the  growing  crops  or  other  property. 

6.  The  musk  ox,  which  is  found  wild  in  herds  in  the 
cold  regions  of  North  America,  is  an  animal  about  as  large 
as  a  very  small  cow.  It  has  a  large  and  broad  head,  and 
heavy  horns,  and  is  covered  with  long  bushy  hair,  which 
reaches  almost  to  the  ground.  If  the  hunters  keep  them- 
selves concealed  when  they  fire  upon  a  herd  of  musk  oxen, 
the  poor  animals  mistake  the  noise  for  thunder,  and,  form- 
ing themselves  into  a  group,  crowd  nearer  and  nearer  to- 
gether as  their  companions  fall  around  them ;  but  if  they 
discover  their  enemies,  the  hunters,  the  whole  herd  seek 
safety  by  instant  flight. 

7.  The  American  bison,  usually  called  the  buffalo,  is 
about  the  size  of  a  large  ox.  It  has  a  large  and  heavy 
head  and  shoulders,  and  small,  tapering,  and  short  horns. 
The  aspect7  of  this  animal  is  fierce,  wild,  and  malicious,8 
the  eye  being  small,  fiery,  and  half  hid  in  the  shaggy  hair 
which  covers  its  head  and  shoulders. 

8.  At  the  beginning  of  the  present  century  buffaloes 


1st  DlV.  OF  . 


ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


219 


roamed  over  the  small  and  beautiful  prairies  of  Indiana 
and  Illinois,  and  through  the  open  woods  of  Kentucky  and 
Tennessee.  Now  they  have  entirely  disappeared  from  the 
country  east  of  the  Mississippi;  but  in  the  level  Indian 
country  along  the  eastern  borders  of  the  Eocky  Mount- 
ains they  are  still  numerous,  and  are  sometimes  found  in 
herds  of  many  thousands. 


i  Sub-ject'-ei>,  made  subject ;  reduced  in 

subjection. 
3  Ap-pkoach'et>,  come  near  to. 
3  A-ma'-zing,  wonderful. 
*  Fe-bo'-cious,  fierce. 


5  Brah'-min,  or  Bram'-in. 

6  €on'-se-ckate,  declare  sacred  by  certain 
ceremonies. 

7  as'-pe€t,  appearance. 

8  Ma-li"-cious,  full  of  malice  or  ill-will. 


LESSON  XVI. 

SHEEP  (OVIDjE),  AND  GOATS  (CAPRIDjE). 


1.  The  Musmon,  or  (Jorsican  Wild  Sheep,  Ovis  Mftsmon.  2.  African  Wild  fcheep,  or 
Moufflon,  Ovis  ornata.  3.  Rocky  Mountain  Wild  Sheep,  Ovis  montana.  4.  Common 
Sheep,  Ovis  aries.  5.  Wild  Goat,  Capra  cegagrus.  6.  European  Ibex,  Capra  ibex.  7. 
Cashmere  Goat. 

1.  Sheep  and  goats  differ  so  little  from  each  other  that 
both  may  well  form  but  one  division  of  the  ruminating 
animals.  They  differ  chiefly  in  the  form  of  the  horns, 
which,  in  the  sheep,  are  first  directed  backward  and  then 
forward  in  a  curve ;  while  the  horns  of  goats  are  directed 
only  upward  and  backward.     Goats  have  a  beard,  while 


220  WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER.  Part  III. 

sheep  have  none;   and  goats  have  an  unpleasant  odor, 
while  nothing  of  the  kind  is  perceived  in  sheep. 

2.  The  sheep  is  one  of  the  animals  which  was  early 
placed  by  divine  Providence  under  subjection  to  man; 
and  it  is  even  now  more  extensively  used  by  him  than 
any  other  animal.  In  a  wild  state  sheep  are  still  found  in 
flocks  in  mountainous  countries  in  nearly  all  parts  of  the 
world.  They  are  watchful,  defenseless,1  and  extremely 
timid.  Though  less  active  than  the  goat,  they  climb  rocks 
and  precipices  with  facility  and  speed,  and  few  hunters  are 
able  to  overtake  them  if  once  alarmed. 

3.  The  fleece  of  sheep,  in  their  wild  state,  is  more  like 
hair  than  wool ;  but  it  improves  after  the  animal  has  been 
for  a  time  domesticated.2  From  which  of  the  wild  species, 
if  any,  the  several  varieties  of  our  domestic  sheep  have 
been  derived,  can  not  now  be  known  with  certainty ;  but 
the  wild  sheep  of  Corsica  and  the  Asiatic  argali  have  gen- 
erally been  considered  as  the  most  probable  origin. 

4.  The  goat,  also,  is  still  found  in  a  wild  state  in  nearly 
all  parts  of  the  world,  and  is  capable  of  enduring  nearly 
all  kinds  of  weather,  from  Arctic  snows  to  the  burning 
plains  of  Africa  and  India.  It  is  stronger,  lighter,  more 
active,  and  less  timid  than  tjie  sheep,  and  frequents3  rocky 
cliffs  where  no  other  animal  could  gain  a  footing.  In  some 
countries,  as  Syria,  Arabia,  and  Switzerland,  goats  are  kept 
for  the  sake  of  their  milk,  and  have  almost  entirely  taken 
the  place  of  the  cow. 

5.  Anciently  the  skin  of  the  goat  was  much  used  for 
clothing.  The  best  Turkey  or  Morocco  leather  is  made* 
from  it ;  and  from  the  skin  of  the  kid,  or  young  goat,  is 
prepared  the  softest  and  handsomest  leather  for  gloves. 
The  most  celebrated  variety  of  this  animal  is  the  Cashmere 
goat,  which  furnishes  the  beautiful  fine  wool  from  which 
the  costly  Cashmere  shawls  are  made. 

6.  The  great  attachment  of  sheep  for  their  young  often 
calls  forth  a  degree  of  sagacity  not  usually  supposed  to  be- 
long to  this  timid  animal.     They  have  been  known  to  go 


1st  DlV.  OF 


.  ZOOLOGY. — THE    MAMMALIA. 


221 


to  a  considerable  distance  to  obtain  aid  from  their  shep- 
herd or  keeper  when  their  lambs  have  been  in  danger. 
Many  anecdotes  like  the  following  might  be  given. 

7.  A  gentleman  traveling  in  a  lonely  part  of  the  High- 
lands of  Scotland  was  attracted  by  the  piteous  bleating  of 
a  ewe,4  as  the  animal  came  from  the  road  side,  as  if  to 
meet  him.  When  near,  she  redoubled5  her  cries,  and  look- 
ed up  into  his  face  as  if  to  ask  assistance.  He  alighted 
from  his  gig,  and  followed  her  to  a  considerable  distance 
from  the  road,  where  he  found  a  lamb  completely  wedged 
in  betwixt  two  large  stones,  and  struggling  with  its  legs 
uppermost.  He  took  out  the  sufferer,  and  placed  it  on 
the  green  sward,6  when  the  mother,  seemingly  overjoyed, 
poured  forth  her  thanks  in  a  long  and  continued  bleat. 

8.  The  goat  will  vigorously  defend  its  young  against 
other  animals,  as  the  following  anecdote  will  show :  A 
person,  having  missed  one  of  his  goats  when  the  flock  re- 
turned at  evening,  desired  two  boys  to  watch  all  night, 
that  she  might  not  get  into  his  young  plantation,  and  nib- 
ble off  the  tops  of  the  trees  newly  planted.  At  break  of 
day  the  watchers  looked  for  the  missing  animal,  and  saw 
her  on  a  pointed  rock  at  some  distance,  defending  her 
young  kid  from  a  fox.  The  latter  went  round  and  round, 
but  the  goat  turned  her  horns  upon  him  in  all  directions. 

9.  The  younger  boy  ran  to  procure  assistance,  and  the 
elder  hallooed7  and  threw  stones  to  frighten  away  the  fox. 
The  fox,  looking  at  the  boy,  and  seeing  that  the  latter  was 
not  able  to  master8  him,  suddenly  tried  to  seize  the  kid, 
which  the  goat  defended.  In  the  brief  struggle  which  fol- 
lowed all  three  disappeared,  and  fox,  goat,  and  kid  were 
soon  after  found  dead  at  the  bottom  of  a  precipice.  The 
kid's  throat  was  torn,  and  the  goat's  horns  were  stuck 
nearly  through  the  body  of  the  fox. 


1  De-fense'-less,  not  able  to  defend  them- 
selves. 

2  Do-mes'-ti-€a-tet>,  made  tame. 

3  Fre-quents',  visits  often. 

4  Ewe  (yu),  the  female  sheep. 


5  Re-dottb'lkd  (re-dub'ld),   renewed ; 
creased. 

6  Sward,  the  grassy  surface  of  the  land. 

7  Hai.-loo'ep  (hal-lood'),  shouted. 

8  M  A b'-tee,  to  conquer  ;  overcome. 


222 


willson's  thied  reader. 


Pakt  III. 


LESSON  XVII. 


THE  PET  LAMB. 

1.  The  dew  was  falling  fast,  the  stars  began  to  blink  j1 

I  beard  a  voice :   it  said,  "  Drink\  pretty  creature', 

drinkv  I" 
And,  looking  o'er  tbe  bedge,  before  me  I  espied2 
A  snow-white  mountain  lamb,  with  a  maiden  at  its  side. 

2.  No  otber  sbeep  were  near ;  tbe  lamb  was  all  alone, 
And  by  a  slender  cord  was  tethered3  to  a  stone ; 
With  one  knee  on  the  grass  did  the  little  maiden  kneel, 
While  to  that  mountain  lamb  she  gave  its  evening 

meal. 

3.  "  Kest\  little  one',"  she  said ;  "  hast  thou  forgot  the  day 
When  my  father  found  thee  first,  in  places  far  away'  ? 
Many  flocks  were  on  the  hills,  but  thou  wert  owned  by 

none, 
And  thy  mother  from  thy  side  forevermore  was  gone. 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  223 

4.  "  Thy  limbs  will  shortly  be  twice  as  stout  as  they  are 

now; 
Then  I'll  yoke  thee  to  my  cart,  like  a  pony  to  the 

plow; 
My  playmate  thou  shalt  be ;  and  when  the  wind  is  cold, 
Our  hearth4  shall  be  thy  bed,  our  house  shall  be  thy 

fold.5 

5.  "  See,  here  thou  need'st  not  fear  the  raven  in  the  sky ; 
Both  night  and  day  thou'rt  safe — our  cottage  is  hard 

by.6 
Why  bleat  so  after  me'  ?     "Why  pull  so  at  thy  chain'  ? 
Sleep,  and  at  break  of  day  I'll  come  to  thee  again." 

WOBDSWORTH. 

i  Bonk,  twinkle.  I  *  Heartii  (hdrth). 

2  Es-pied  (es-plde1),  saw ;  discovered  5  Fold,  pen  for  sheep. 

3  Teth'-ebeb,  tied.  I  6  "  Habd  by,"  near. 


LESSON  xvni. 

LAMBS  AT  PLAY. 

1.  Say'  ;  ye  that  know' ;  ye  who  have  felt  and  seen 
Spring's  morning  smiles',  and  soul-enlivening1  green' 
Say' ;  did  you  give  the  thrilling  transport2  way'  ? 
Did  your  eye  brighten  when  young  lambs  at  play 
Leap'd  o'er  your  path  with  animated  pride, 

Or  grazed  in  merry  clusters  by  your  side'  ? 

2.  Loosed  from  the  winding  lane,  a  joyful  throng, 
See  o'er  yon  pasture  how  they  pour  along' ! 

A  few  begin  a  short  but  vigorous  race, 
And  indolence,3  abashed,4  soon  flies  the  place: 
Thus  challeng'd  forth',  see  thither  one  by  one', 
From  every  side  assembling  playmates  run' ; 
A  thousand  wily  antics5  mark  their  stay — 
A  starting  crowd  impatient  of  delay. 

3.  Like  the  fond  dove,  from  fearful  prison  freed, 
Each  seems  to  say,  "  Come',  let  us  try  our  speed' :" 


224 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  III 


Away  they  scour',6  impetuous',  ardent',  strong'. 
The  green  turf  trembling  as  they  bound  along' ; 
Adown  the  slope',  then  up  the  hillock  climb', 
Where  every  mole-hill  is  a  bed  of  thyme.7 

4.  There  panting  stop' ;  yet  scarcely  can  refrain'  ;s 
A  bird',  a  leaf,  will  set  them  off  again' : 
Or,  if  a  gale  with  strength  unusual  blow', 
Scattering  the  wild-brier  roses  into  snow', 
Their  little  limbs  increasing  efforts  try' ; 
Like  the  torn  flower  the  fair  assemblage  fly. 

Bloomfield. 


11  RotrL-EN-LTv'-EN-iNo,"  tending  to  make 

cheerful. 

Trans'-pArt,  joy ;  rapture. 

In'-do-t.knok.  laziness. 

A-RABn'ttn,  made  ashamed. 


s  "  tvT'-ly  an'-tics,"  cunning  or  sly  tricks 
and  gambols. 

6  S-OOTJX,  run ;  rush  with  speed. 

7  Thyme  (t>m<>),  a  species  of  small  plant. 

8  Rf.-frain',  restrain  themselves. 


1st  Oiv.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


225 


LESSON  XIX. 

ANIMALS  OF  THE  ANTELOPE  KIND  (ANT1L0PIDM). 


Scale  of  Feet. 

1.  The  Gazelle,  Antelope  dorcas.  2.  Elk  Antelope,  Antelope  orras.  3.  Chamois, 
Capra  rupicapra.  4.  Common  Antelope,  Antelope  cervicapra.  5.  Prong-horned  Ante- 
lope, Antelope  furcifer. 

1.  The  animals  of  the  antelope  kind  comprise  more 
species  than  all  the  other  ruminating  animals  taken  to- 
gether. They  also  differ  considerably  from  each  other  in 
form  and  size ;  and  writers  do  not  agree  in  drawing  the 
dividing  lines  between  them  and  the  several  species  of  the 
ox  tribe,  the  goats,  the  sheep,  and  the  deer. 

2.  In  size  and  form,  the  nature  and  color  of  their  hair, 
and  their  swiftness  of  foot,  antelopes  resemble  the  deer ; 
but,  unlike  the  latter,  they  never  shed  their  horns.  Gen- 
erally these  animals  are  found  in  large  herds,  but  some 
species  only  in  pairs  or  families.  They  are  most  numer- 
ous in  Africa  and  Western  Asia ;  a  few  are  found  in  Eu- 
rope ;  and  one  species,  the  prong-horned  antelope,  in  North 
America.  The  springboks,  an  antelope  of  South  Africa, 
are  said  to  cover  the  inland  plains  of  that  country  in  "  vast 
herds  of  hundreds  of  thousands." 

K2 


226 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  III. 


3.  It  is  related  of  the  prong-horned  antelopes  of  America 
that  their  curiosity  is  so  great  that  if  the  hunter,  on  first 
being  discovered  by  them,  will  lie  down  in  the  grass,  and 
occasionally  lift  up  his  foot  or  hat,  they  will  return,  and 
circle1  round  and  round  the  strange  object  until  they  ap- 
proach within  shooting  distance.  The  chamois,2  or  goat- 
like antelope,  which  is  found  in  all  the  mountain  chains3  of 
Europe,  will  climb  the  most  dangerous  cliffs,  and  leap  down 
precipices  where  no  other  wild  beast,  nor  even  man  him- 
self, would  dare  to  follow. 

4.  But  the  most  noted  of  all  the  antelopes  is  the  gazelle, 
which  is  celebrated  for  its  fleetness,  grace,  and  beauty; 
and  especially  for  its  large,  black,  and  mild  eyes,  which 
beam4  with  exceeding  lustre.5  It  is  a  great  favorite  with 
the  Eastern  poets,  and  is  frequently  mentioned  in  the 
Bible  under  the  names  of  the  hart,  the  hind,6  and  the  roe, 
"swift  upon  the  mountains." 

' '  The  wild  gazelle,  o'er  Judah's  hills 
Exulting  still  may  bound, 
And  drink  from  all  the  living  rills7 

That  gush  on  holy  ground ; 
Its  airy  step  and  glorious  eye 
May  glance  in  tameless  transport8  by." — Byron. 


1.  Neel-Ghau,  Antelope  picta.  2.  Chickara,  A ntelope  chicknrcu  3.  Striped  Antelope, 
or  Koodc,  A  ntelope  ttrtpneerot.  4  Bearded  Antelope,  Antelope  barbata.  5.  Algazil, 
Antelope  bezoastica.    6.  Springbok,  Antelope  euchore. 


1  Cir'-cle,  move  round. 

2  cham'-ois  (shdin'-e  or  sha-moy'). 

3  Chains,  ridges. 

4  T.kam,  uliine. 


5  LCs'-tbe,  brilliancy. 

6  HIND. 

7  Rills,  small  brooks. 

w  Tranb'-pOrt,  rapture;  exultation. 


1st  DlV.  OF  .   . 


ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


227 


LESSON  XX. 


AFAR  IN  THE  DESERT:  NATURE'S  SOLITUDE. 

1.  Afar  in  the  desert  I  love  to  ride, 

With  the  silent  Bush-boy  alone  by  my  side ; 
Away — away — from  the  dwellings  of  men, 
By  the  wild  deer's  haunt  and  buffalo's  glen, 
By  valleys  remote,  where  the  oribi1  plays, 
Where  the  gnu,1  the  gazelle,  and  the  hartbeest1  graze, 
And  the  gemsbok1  and  eland,1  unhunted,  recline 
By  the  skirts  of  gray  forests  o'erhung  with  wild  vine, 
Where  the  elephant  browses  at  peace  in  his  wood, 
And  the  river  horse  gambols  unscared  in  the  flood, 


228  WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Part  III. 

And  the  mighty  rhinoceros  wallows  at  will 

In  the  fen  where  the  wild  ass  is  drinking  his  fill. 

2.  Afar  in  the  desert  I  love  to  ride, 

With  the  silent  Bush-boy  alone  by  my  side ; 
O'er  the  brown  karroo,2  where  the  bleating  cry 
Of  the  springbok's1  fawn  sounds  plaintively ; 
Where  the  zebra  wantonly  tosses  his  mane, 
With  wild  hoof  scouring  the  desolate  plain ; 
And  the  grisly  wolf,  and  the  shrieking  jackal, 
Howl  for  their  prey  at  the  evening  fall ; 
While  the  vulture  in  circles  wheels  high  overhead, 
Greedy  to  scent  and  to  gorge  on  the  dead. 

3.  Afar  in  the  desert  I  love  to  ride, 

With  the  silent  Bush-boy  alone  by  my  side ; 

Away — away — in  the  wilderness  vast, 

Where  the  white  man's  foot  hath  never  passed — 

A  region  of  drought,3  where  no  river  glides, 

ISTor  rippling  brook  with  osiered4  sides 

Appears  to  refresh  the  aching  eye ; 

But  the  barren  earth,  and  the  burning  sky, 

And  the  black  horizon  round  and  round, 

Without  a  living  sight  or  sound, 

Tell  to  the  heart,  in  its  pensive5  mood, 

That  this  is — Nature's  solitude. 

4.  And  here,  while  the  night  winds  round  me  sigh. 
And  the  stars  burn  bright  in  the  midnight  sky, 
As  I  sit  apart  by  the  desert  stone, 

Like  Elijah  at  Horeb's  cave,  alone, 
"  A  still  small  voice"  comes  through  the  wild 
(Like  a  father  consoling  his  fretful  child), 
Which  banishes  bitterness,  wrath,  and  fear, 
Saying — Man  is  distant,  but  God  is  near  !      Prdtqle, 

'  These  are  all  animals  of  the  antelope  I  3  ^noroirr  (rlrovt),  dryness;  want  of  rain. 

kind.     ('iOmsi'-bok.  *  o'-<ikrki>,  lined  with  the  osier,  a  kind 

2  Kar'-roo  is  the  name  giv'  n  to  any  ex-        of  willow. 

tensive  plain  in  South  Africa,  j  *  Pen'-bTvk,  sad  and  thoughtful. 


1st  Div.  OF 


ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


229 


LESSON  XXI. 

TOOTHLESS  QUADRUPEDS  (EDENTATA). 


Scale  of  Feet. 


1.  Duck -billed  water  Mole,  Ornithorhyncus.  2.  Great  Ant-eater,  Myrmecophaga  ju- 
lata.  3.  Long-tailed  Ant-eater,  or  Scaly  lizard,  Mania  macroura.  4.  Cloaked  Arma- 
dillo, Clamiwhonis  truncatus.  5.  Six-banded  Armadillo,  Dasypus  sexcinctus.  6.  Por- 
cupine Ant-eater,  Echidna  hystrix.    1.  Yellow-throated  Sloth,  Bradypus  gularis. 

1.  This  is  a  class  embracing  only  a  few  small  animals, 
which  some  writers  have  included  among  the  "Hoofed 
Quadrupeds,"  although  their  claws  have  but  little  resem- 
blance to  the  hoofs  of  the  large  animals  which  have  been 
described.  The  animals  of  this  class  are  the  sloths,1  the 
armadillos,2  and  the  ant-eaters.  The  latter  are  wholly 
without  teeth;  while  the  sloths  and  the  armadillos  are 
nearly  destitute  of  front  teeth,  or  incisors.3 

2.  The  sloth,  which  is  found  only  in  the  forests  of  South 
America,  is  a  sluggish4  and  solitary  animal,  destined  to  live 
and  to  die  in  the  trees,  for  it  never  leaves  them  unless  com- 
pelled by  force  or  accident.  It  does  not  rest  upon  the 
branches,  like  the  squirrel,  but  it  moves,  and  even  sleeps, 
under  them,  suspended5  by  its  powerful  claws. 


230  WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Pabt  III. 

3.  If  the  sloth  be  placed  on  the  ground,  he  can  not  walk, 
for  he  has  no  soles  on  his  feet ;  he  tries  to  find  something 
rough  to  take  hold  of  with  his  claws,  and  then  he  can  only 
pull  himself  along  slowly.  Yet  he  can  swing  himself  from 
branch  to  branch  of  a  tree  with  considerable  rapidity.  He 
feeds  upon  green  leaves. 

4.  The  armadillos  of  South  America  are  also  very  sin- 
gular animals.  They  have  a  limber  shell-like  covering, 
or  armor,  which  protects  every  part  of  them  except  their 
ears,  and  in  this  shell  they  can  toll  themselves  up  into  a 
ball.  They  burrow6  in  the  earth  like  a  rabbit,  and  when 
in  their  holes  they  will  dig  so  fast  that  it  is  very  difficult 
to  dig  them  out. 

5.  The  cloaked  armadillo,  sometimes  called  the  mailed 
sloth,  is  only  six  inches  in  length,  but  the  largest  species 
of  this  animal  is  more  than  three  feet  long.  The  true  ar- 
madillo is  said  to  resemble  a  pig  covered  with  the  shell  of 
a  turtle. 

6.  The  several  species  of  the  ant-eaters,  which  are  so 
named  because  they  feed  mostly  upon  ants,  are  found  in 
warm  climates,  and  are  still  more  singular  creatures  than 
the  armadillos.  They  are  slow  animals,  much  like  the 
sloth.  They  have  long  snouts,  and  also  a  very  long  and 
slimy7  tongue,  which  they  run  into  the  nests  of  ants,  and 
as  they  draw  it  out  it  is  covered  with  these  little  animals 
sticking  to  it. 

7.  One  of  the  ant-eaters  of  Australia  resembles  a  hedge- 
hog, with  the  muzzle8  of  an  ant-eater.  Another  animal 
found  in  the  same  country,  and  placed  among  the  "Tooth- 
less Quadrupeds,"  is  the  duck-billed  water  mole,  which  re- 
sembles a  mole  with  the  bill  of  a  duck.  The  engraving  at 
the  head  of  this  lesson  shows  the  principal  kinds  of  the  cu- 
rious animals  which  we  have  here  described. 

i  Si.fiTn,  or  St.otii.  I  5  Sus-pEnp'-ed,  hanging. 

-  ak-ma-ihi.'-lOs.  6  Bfu'-Kow,  dwell  in  holes  in  the  earth. 

3  iN-ci'-soRS,  the  front  or  cutting  teeth  7  RlTm'-y,  covered  with  slime ;  sticky. 

4  Si.C  u'-gibh,  Beldom  in  motion.  |  8  MCz'-zlk,  the  nose  or  mouth. 


1st  Div.  of ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


231 


CHAPTEE  IT. 

GNAWING  QUADKUPEDS  (RODENTIA). 
LESSON  I. 


Scale  of  Feet. 

1.  Flying  Squirrel,  Sciurus  volucella.  2.  Gray  S.,  Sciurus  cinereus.  3.  Ground  S., 
or  Chipmuck,  Sciurus  striatus.  4.  Marmot,  or  Woodchuck,  Arctomys  monax.  5.  Bea- 
ver, Castor  fiber.  6.  Muskrat,  Fiber  zibcthicus.  7.  American  Porcupine,  Hystrix  dor- 
sata.  8.  European  Porcupine,  Hystrix  cristata.  9.  Common  Mou3e,  Mus  musculus. 
10.  Jumping  Mouse,  Mus  gerbillus.  11.  Brown  Bat,  Mus  decumanus.  12.  Chinchilla, 
C.  lanigera.  13.  Cavy,  or  Guinea-pig,  Cavia  cobaya.  14.  Common  Hare,  Lepus  timi- 
dus.    15.  Babbit,  Lepus  cuniculm. 

1.  The  gnawing  quadrupeds,  which  are  so  named  on 
account  of  the  peculiar  character1  of  their  front  teeth,  or 
incisors,  are  formed  for  feeding  upon  the  harder  kinds  of 
vegetable  matter,  such  as  nuts,  and  grain,  and  the  roots 
and  twigs  of  trees.  This  division  of  animals  includes  the 
squirrels,  beavers,  marmots,  porcupines,  rats  and  mice,  the 
cavies  or  Guinea-pigs  of  South  America,  and  the  rabbits 
and  hares. 

i  2.  All  the  animals  of  this  class  have  two  large  front 
'/teeth,  or  incisors,  in  each  jaw,  and  between  these  and  the 
grinders,  or  molar2  teeth,  there  is  an  empty  space,  which, 
in  most  other  quadrupeds,  is  occupied  by  what  are  called 


232  WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER.  Part  III. 

canine3  or  dog  teeth.  Most  animals,  with  the  exception 
of  the  hoofed  quadrupeds,  are  arranged  in  classes  accord- 
ing to  the  number  and  character  of  their  teeth. 

3.  Among  the  gnawing  quadrupeds,  the  squirrels  and 
rats  and  mice  are  the  most  common  and  the  best  known. 
These  are  generally  considered  mischievous4  and  destruc- 
tive animals ;  yet  all  have  their  uses,  for  nothing  has  been 
created  in  vain.  Even  some  of  the  squirrels  are  valuable 
for  their  furs ;  and  among  the  many  species  of  the  mice 
tribe,  there  is  a  little  animal,  the  chinchilla5  of  South  Amer- 
ica, whose  exquisitely6  fine  downy  fur  is  quite  an  impor- 
tant article  of  commerce. 

4.  Much  has  been  written  about  the  wonderful  sagacity 
of  the  beaver.  With  its  teeth  it  gnaws  off  shrubs,  and 
even  small  trees  five  or  six  inches  in  diameter,  and  with 
these,  and  stones  and  mud,  it  builds  dams  across  streams 
of  water,  and  also  makes  houses  to  live  in.  The  beavers 
cover  their  little  huts  very  thickly  with  mud  to  keep  out 
the  cold  in  winter.  Their  habit  of  walking  over  the  work 
frequently  during  its  progress  has  led  to  the  absurd  idea 
of  their  using  their  tail  as  a  trowel. 

5.  The  fur  of  the  beaver  is  highly  valued,  especially  for 
the  manufacture7  of  hats.  Fifty  years  ago  more  than  a 
hundred  thousand  skins  of  the  beaver  were  sent  annually8 
from  Quebec  alone,  and  even  now  great  numbers  of  these 
animals  are  killed  by  hunters  and  trappers  in  the  forests 
of  North  America.  The  skin  of  the  muskrat,  an  animal 
which  belongs  to  the  beaver  tribe,  is  also  valuable  for  its 
fur. 

6.  Of  the  marmots  there  are  several  species  besides  the 
common  woodchuck  of  this  country.  The  European  mar- 
mots, which  are  found  in  the  mountain  valleys  of  Europe, 
are  interesting  animals.  They  live  in  societies,  and  when- . 
ever  they  go  out  of  their  burrows9  they  post  a  sentinel, 
who  gives  a  shrill  whistle  when  danger  approaches.  The 
little  prairie  dogs  of  Missouri  and  California,  which  are 
only  about  a  foot  in  length,  are  a  kind  of  marmot,  living 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA.  238 

in  communities  in  numerous  burrows  in  the  earth.     Mr. 
Kendall  thus  describes  them : 

7.  "  They  are  a  wild,  frolicsome,  madcap  set  of  fellows 
when  undisturbed,  uneasy,  and  ever  on  the  move,  and  ap-* 
pear  to  take  special  delight  in  chattering  away  the  time, 
and  visiting  from  hole  to  hole  to  gossip  and  talk  over  each 
other's  affairs  —  at  least,  so  their  actions  would  indicate. 
"When  they  find  a  good  location  for  a  village,  and  there  is 
no  water  in  the  immediate  vicinity,  old  hunters  say  they 
dig  a  well  to  supply  the  wants  of  the  community. 

8.  "  On  several  occasions  I  crept  close  to  their  villages, 
without  being  observed,  to  watch  their  movements.  Di- 
rectly in  the  centre  of  one  of  them  I  particularly  noticed  a 
very  large  dog  sitting  in  front  of  the  door  or  entrance  to 
his  burrow;  and  by  his  own  actions  and  those  of  his 
neighbors  it  really  seemed  as  though  he  was  the  president, 
mayor,  or  chief — at  all  events,  he  was  the  '  big  dog'  of  the 
place.  For  at  least  an  hour  I  secretly  watched  the  opera- 
tions in  this  community. 

9.  "During  that  time  the  large  dog  I  have  mentioned 
received  at  least  a  dozen  visits  from  his  fellow-dogs,  which 
would  stop  and  chat  with  him  a  few  moments,  and  then 
run  off  to  their  domicils.10  All  this  while  he  never  left 
his  post  for  a  moment ;  and  I  thought  I  could  discover  a 
gravity11  in  his  deportment12  not  discernible  in  those  by 
whom  he  was  surrounded.  Far  is  it  from  me  to  say  that 
the  visits  he  received  were  upon  business,  or  had  any  thing 
to  do  with  the  local  government  of  the  village,  but  it  cer- 
tainly appeared  so.  If  any  animal  has  a  system  of  laws 
regulating  the  body  politic,  it  is  certainly  the  prairie  dog." 

10.  Mr.  Kendall  gives  an  interesting  account  of  his 
shooting  some  of  these  animals.  "  One  of  them,"  says  he, 
"had  perched  himself  upon  the  pile  of  earth  in  front  of 
his  hole,  while  a  companion's  head  was  seen  poking  out 
of  the  entrance,  too  timid,  perhaps,  to  trust  himself  far- 
ther. A  well-directed  ball  from  my  rifle  killed  the  for- 
mer, and  knocked  him  some  two  or  three  feet  from  his 


---- 


i;      ./.     :    .    I/..--.;  .-.-.V.    .--;.:-   1 ,~  "*> 

Bid,  as  ibe  dog  potmod  igwxi  it  gsre  Mai 

~-    :>.  -.-..    :.,    .:  -'-::    :-    -.:-;:   -,-.    -;_-• 

:  :-.--;  ^'~:  :.-.  ;-.  ■:■;::  -  .:'  v-^ 

L>.    v,..:-.  v.-.r:-:    -  ■  :_--  —-  :■...'-./  ;,:./r:- 

.:-    .-.:    :..:    '.  >-    ;...-      i.~-_     ...    /..--.: ; 

€*&  o£  &e  vrem&es.    It  pared  1o  Mra  a 


\M  D:v.  m 


ZOOLOGY. — THE   M  Aim  ALT  A. 


much  swollen  for  several  weeks  afterward,  and  it 
months  before  he  folly  recovered." 


n. 


~:Z  I  :.~~7.J.IL. 

i.  "  The  sqnirrel  is  happy,  the  squirrel  is  gayV* 
Little  Henry  exclaimed  to  his  broth- 
"  He  has  nothing  to  do  or  to  think  of  but  play*, 
And  to  jump  from  one  bongh  to  another 

2.  But  William'  was  older  and  wiser*  and  knew 

That  all  play  and  no  work  wouldn't  ans^ 
So  he  asked  what  the  squirrel  in  winter  must  do, 
If  he  spent  all  the  summer  a  dancer. 

3.  The  squirrel',  dear  Henry7,  is  merry  and  wise\ 

-  lorn  and  mirth  go  together^ : 
He  lays  up  in  summer  his  winter  supplies*, 
And  then  he  don't  mind  the  cold  weather'. 


236 


WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER.  Part  III. 


CHAPTER  V. 

POUCHED  QUADRUPEDS  {MARSUPIAL! A). 


Scale  of  Feet. 


1.  Fox  Opossum  of  New  South  Wales,  Phalanqista  vulpina.  2.  Great  Kangaroo,  31a. 
cr»pwt  (pgantcm.  3.  New  Holland  Opossum,  Phnlangista  Cookii.  4.  Brazilian  Water 
opossum,  Didelphys  palmata.  5.  Australian  Kangaroo  Rat,  Hypsiprimus  murinus. 
0.  Virginia  Opossum,  Dirfelphys  Virginiana. 

1.  We  come  now  to  a  strange  class  of  animals,  whose 
most  striking  peculiarity  is  the  possession  of  an  abdominal1 
pouch,  or  fold  of  the  skin,  in  which  the  young  are  carried 
about  by  the  mother  until  they  are  old  enough  to  take 
care  of  themselves,  and  into  which  they  run  for  shelter  in 
time  of  danger. 

2.  This  class  of  animals  embraces  the  opossums2  of 
America,  the  kangaroos3  of  Australia,  and  a  few  other  al- 
lied species.  They  show  great  varieties  in  size,  from  that 
of  a  mouse  to  a  good-sized  dog.  Some  live  in  trees,  and 
some  on  the  ground;  some  feed  upon  grass,  roots,  and 
leaves ;  some  upon  insects ;  and  some  of  the  larger  kanga- 
roos upon  the  flesh  of  sheep  and  other  animals. 

3.  The  Virginia  opossum,  which  is  about  as  large  as  a 


1st  DlV.  OF  . 


ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


237 


small  cat,  may  sometimes  be  seen  hanging  to  the  limb  of 
a  tree  by  its  tail,  around  which  half  a  dozen  of  its  young 
have  entwined4  their  own  tails,  and  are  hanging  head 
downward ;  while  others  of  the  little  ones  may  be  seen 
peeping  out  of  the  pouch  into  which  they  have  run  for 
shelter. 

4.  When  the  opossum  is  suddenly  overtaken  by  dog  or 
man,  it  does  not  attempt  to  escape  by  running,  but,  closing 
its  eyes,  it  feigns5  to  be  dead.  It  may  then  be  handled, 
tossed  about,  and  beaten  with  a  stick,  without  showing  any 
signs  of  life,  except  a  very  quiet  breathing,  which  it  can 
not  wholly  suppress.6  Even  dogs  are  deceived,  and,  turn- 
ing it  over,  pass  it  by.  This  trick  of  the  opossum  is  so 
well  known  to  the  country-folks  as  to  have  passed  into  a 
proverb  in  the  saying,  "  He  is  playing  ''possum.'1'' 

5.  The  appearance  of  the  kangaroo  is  very  striking.7 
The  front  parts  of  the  body  are  very  light  and  graceful, 
while  the  hinder  parts  are  large  and  strong.  The  great 
kangaroo,  which  is  from  three  to  five  feet  in  length,  with- 
out the  tail,  moves  about  wholly  on  its  hind  legs,  spring- 
ing from  rock  to  rock,  leaping  easily  over  bushes  seven  or 
eight  feet  high,  and  making  successive  bounds  of  from 
twelve  to  twenty  feet,  with  such  rapidity  as  to  outstrip8 
the  fleetest  greyhound. 

6.  It  is  said  that  the  great  kangaroo  is  more  than  a  match 
for  the  strongest  dogs,  striking  them  with  the  hind  legs, 
with  which  it  gives  most  powerful  strokes.  Captain  Parry 
gives  an  interesting  account  of  one  of  the  smaller  tame 
kangaroos  which  he  kept  in  his  possession  for  more  than 
two  years  in  New  South  Wales,  and  then  carried  to  En- 
gland. It  was  exceedingly  fond  of  the  cook,  who  took 
care  of  it,  and  was  also  on  very  intimate  terms  with  two 
Newfoundland  dogs,  which  protected  it  when  pursued  by 
other  dogs  of  the  neighborhood. 


•  Ab-dom'-in-al,  pertaining  to  the  belly. 

'  O-t'JS'-SCM. 

3  Kan-ga-roo'. 

*  Ek-twcn'kd,  twisted  around. 


s  Feigns,  pretends. 

6  Sup-press',  stop. 

7  Striking,  singular  ;  peculiar. 

8  Octt-strTp',  outrun. 


238 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  in. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

ANIMALS  OF  THE  WHALE  KIND  (CETACEA). 


Scale  of  Feet. 


1.  Narwhals,  or  Sea  Unicorns,  Monodon  monoceros.  2.  Greenland  Whale,  Balcena 
mysficetus.  3.  Spermaceti  Whale,  Catodon,  or  Physeter  macroceplialus.  4  Great 
Northern  Rorqual,  Rorqualus  borealis. 

1.  But  why,  it  may  be  asked,  axe  animals  of  the  whale 
kind  classed  among  quadrupedsv?  Surely  they  are  not 
four-footed  animals' !  Are  not  these  monsters  of  the  deep 
fishes'  ?  No\  we  reply ;  they  are  much  more  like  quad- 
rupeds than  they  are  like  fishes ;  and  we  shall  here  give 
a  few  of  the  reasons  why  they  are  classed  among  quadru- 
peds. 

2.  Like  quadrupeds,  the  animals  of  the  whale  kind, 
which  include  whales,  dolphins,  porpoises,1  manatees,2  and 
dugongs,  have  lungs,  and  they  breathe  in  the  open  air, 
like  all  land  animals.  But  fishes  have  no  lungs;  they 
never  breathe ;  and  if  removed  from  the  water  and  brought 
into  the  open  air,  they  quickly  die.  It  is  true  that  whales 
can  stay  under  water  longer  than  any  land  animal — some 
of  them  an  hour  and  a  half;  but  they  must  come  to  the 


1st  Div.  of  ...  .  ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


239 


surface  when  they  breathe,  and  if  they  should  stay  under 
water  too  long  they  would  drown. 

3.  Whales,  like  all  of  the  quadrupeds,  suckle  their 
young  the  same  as  the  cat,  the  sheep,  and  the  cow.  The 
young  cub  of  the  whale  is  nourished  for  months  by  its 
mother's  milk,  and  it  gambols  around  her  in  playful  affec- 
tion, like  the  fawn  or  the  lamb  in  the  sunny  glade.3  Fish- 
es, on  the  contrary,  do  not  nourish  their  young,  and  take 
no  care  of  them. 

4.  Whales  are  also  warm-blooded  animals,  the  same  as 
all  the  quadrupeds  which  we  have  described ;  but  fishes 
are  cold-blooded.  Fishes  have  scales  and  gills,  but  whales 
have  neither.  The  tail  of  a  fish  is  vertical,4  but  of  the 
whale  horizontal,  like  the  foot  of  a  quadruped.  The  flesh 
of  the  whale  is  like  that  of  beasts,  and  its  bones  resemble 
those  of  quadrupeds.  Whales,  indeed,  inhabit5  the  water 
like  fishes,  and  their  feet  take  the  shape  and  perform  the 
office  of  fins ;  but  in  all  their  leading  peculiarities  they  are 
like  quadrupeds,  and  must  be  classed  with  the  Mammalia.6 


Scale  of  Feet. 

1.  Beluga,  or  White  Whale,  Delphinus  beluga.  2.  Common  Dolphin,  Delphinus  del- 
phis.  3.  Manatee,  Manatus  Americanus.  4.  Dugong,  Dugungus  Indicus.  5.  Com- 
mon Porpoise,  J'hoccena  communis.  6.  Grampus,  called  by  sailors  "  Killer  and  Thrash- 
er," Phoccena  grampus. 


240  WILLSON'S  THIKD  READEK.  Pakt  III. 

5.  Whales  have  no  nostrils,  properly  so  called,  but  they 
breathe  through  blow-holes,  which  open  on  the  top  of  the 
head,  and  allow  a  free  passage  of  air  to  and  from  the  lungs. 
Through  these  holes  the  whales  spout  air  and  vapor,  and 
some  say  water  also  ;^  and  these  "  spoutings,"  which  some- 
times rise  to  the  height  of  twenty  feet,  are  often  heard  as 
far  as  two  miles,  and  seen  at  a  much  greater  distance. 

6.  The  other  animals  of  this  class  we. have  not  room  to 
describe  here ;  but  their  comparative  size  and  shape  may 
be  learned  from  the  engraving  on  the  preceding  page  bet- 
ter than  from  any  description.  Many  thrilling7  accounts 
of  the  adventures8  of  whalemen  in  the  pursuit  and  capture 
of  whales — of  boats  crushed  in  the  jaws  of  these  monsters, 
or  dashed  in  pieces  by  a  stroke  of  their  tails — might  be 
given ;  but  we  have  not  space  for  these  things  here,  and 
must  therefore  reserve  them  for  another  occasion. 

i  Pob'-pois-es  (por'-pvs-ez).  |  6  Mam-ma'-lia,  animals  which  nurse  their 

2  Man-'-a-teeS.  young. 

3  Glade,  an  open  place  in  a  forest.  i  '  Thbill'-ing,  highly  exciting. 

*  Vebt'-i-€al,  erect,  with   the   edge   up-  ,  8  Ad-ven'-tGres,  enterprises ;  bold  under- 

ward  ;  perpendicular.  takings. 

6  Iw-BAB -IT,  dwell  in. 


THE  CONCLUDING  LESSON. 

ZOOLOGY,  AND  WHAT  IT  TEACHES. 

In  the  preceding  one  hundred  and  fifty-three  pages  we 
have  given  some  account  of  those  animals  which  are  em- 
braced in  the  class  called  Mammalia.  All  the  reading 
lessons  on  this  subject  belong  to  that  science  which  is  call- 
ed Zoology,1  and  we  now  wish  to  explain  more  fully  what 
is  meant  by  zoology,  and  to  show  our  readers  how  very 
extensive  is  that  branch  of  knowledge  which  it  embraces. 

ZOOLOGY  is  a  term  which  is  formed  from  two  Greek 
words — zoon,  "  an  animal,"  and  logos,  "  a  discourse ;"  and  it 
means  the  science  which  treats  of  the  forms,  classification, 
history,  and  habits  of  animals ;  that  is,  of  all  things  that 
have  life  and  voluntary  motion.  Learned  men  have  di- 
vided animals  into  the  following  four  great  classes : 


1st  Div.  of ZOOLOGY. — THE   MAMMALIA. 


241 


I.  The  Vertebrates.2 — All  the  vertebrated3  animal? 
have  a  jointed  back-bone,  or 

internal  bony  skeleton,  and 
of  these  there  are  four  divi- 
sions :   1st.  The  Mammalia, 
which  we  have  described ; 
2d.  Birds  of  all  kinds;  3d. 
Fishes  of  all  kinds,  except  the 
whale  tribe,  which  belong  to 
the  class  mammalia;  and,  4th.  Reptiles,  such  as  frogs,  ser- 
pents, lizards,  crocodiles,  tortoises,  and  turtles.     The  mam- 
malia and  birds  are  warm-blooded  animals,  but  fishes  and 
reptiles  are  cold-blooded. 

II.  The  Articulates.4 — The  articulated5  animals  are 
those  in  which  the  body  and 

legs  are  jointed,  and  the  hard- 
est parts  are  outside.     Of 
these  animals  there  are  three 
divisions,  which  are,  1st.  In- 
sects, such   as   flies,  beetles, 
spiders,  grasshoppers,  crick- 
ets, and  butterflies ;  2d.  Crus- 
taceans,6, or  crusted  animals,  which  are  the  jointed,  soft-shell- 
ed animals,  such  as  lobsters  and  crabs ;  3d.  Annelidans,1 
or  ring-like  animals,  of  which  leeches  and  earthworms  are 
examples. 

III.  The  Mollusks.8— The  molluscous9  animals  are. 
those  animals  of  soft  bodies 
which  generally  have  a  hard 
covering,  or  shell,  to  which  jj 
they  are  attached.  Of  these 
animals  there  are  two  divi- 
sions :  1st.  The  Univalves,10  or  one-shelled  animals,  such  as 
(mails;  and,  2d.  The  Bivalves,11  or  two-shelled  animals,  such 
us  oysters  and  clams. 

IV.  The  Eadiates.12 — The  radiated13  animals  embrace 
a  class  of  animals  whose  parts  are  generally  arranged  in 

L 


242 


wtllson's  third  reader. 


Part  111 


the  form  of  rays,  which  spread  out  from  a  central  point 

like  the  spokes  of  a  carriage- 
wheel.  The  beautiful  star- 
fish, and  also  corals14  and 
sponges,  animals  which  ap- 
proach the  character  of  vege- 
tables, belong  to  this  division. 
Some  writers  have  also  placed 
in  this  division  the  vast  multitude  of  the  Infusoria15 — ani- 
mals filling  the  earth,  the  air,  and  the  water,  and  yet  so  ex- 
ceedingly small  that  they  can  not  be  seen  by  the  naked  eye. 
We  have  already  given  some  account  of  the  Mammalia, 
which  are  a  portion  of  the  vertebrate  animals.  In  the 
next,  or  Fourth  Eeader,  we  shall  give  an  account  of  Birds, 
another  division  of  the  vertebrate  animals.  In  the  Fifth 
Eeader  we  shall  give  an  account  of  Fishes  and  Reptiles.  In 
the  Sixth  Header  we  shall  describe  the  "  Insect  world,"  the 
most  important  division  of  the  second  class  of  animal  life, 
and  shall  also  give  some  account  of  the  Mollusks,  which 
form  the  third  class  of  animals.  In  the  Seventh  Eeader 
we  shall  give  a  brief  account  of  the  Eadiates,  and  also 
some  interesting  descriptions  of  those  multitudes  of  minute 
animals  which  may  be  considered  as  belonging  to  the 
"  microscopic™  world." 

We  shall  then  have  given  a  general  view  of  the  science 
of  Zoology,  with  such  interesting  accounts  of  the  history 
and  habits  of  animals  as  we  trust  will  dispose17  our  youth- 
ful readers  to  study  farther,  as  they  may  have  opportunity, 
the  will,  the  power,  the  wisdom,  and  the  goodness  of  God, 
as  manifested  in  the  creatures  which  he  has  made. 


i  Zo-oV-o-ov. 

ffrom  the  Latin  verte- 

2  Vkr'-te-bbates,   I  bra,  a  joint  of  the  spine 

3  Veb'-te-bkatkd,  I  or  back-bone  of  an  an- 

Ijmnl. 

6  Crus-ta'-okan*,  li.  OTUSta,  a  shell  or  crust. 

7  An-nki/-i-i>ans.  L.  annnlus, ft  ring. 


i°  u'-ni-valves,  L.  wins,  one,  and  valva,  a 

valve  or  fold. 
ii  BI'- valve*,  L.  Ms,  twice,  and  valoa. 
Ji  KI'-w-lTW,  )  L  mdi      a 
I3  Ra--di-a-tei>,J  '         J 

1*   €OR'-AL. 

1:>  In-it-so'-ui-a,  L.  in/undo,  to  potir  in 

like  water. 
'6  MT-cuo-soop'-if,  seen  only  by  the  miero- 


17  Dis-rO$E',  induce ;  incline. 


Part  IV. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


243 


PART   IV. 

MISCELLANEOUS. 
LESSON  I. 


THE  DISCONTENTED  PENDULUM. 

1.  An  old  clock,  that  "had  stood  for  fifty  years  in  a  farm- 
er's kitchen  without  giving  its  owner  any  cause  of  com- 
plaint, early  one  summer's  morning,  before  the  family  was 
stirring,  suddenly  stopped.  Upon  this,  the  dial-plate  (if 
we  may  credit  the  fable1)  changed  countenance  with  alarm ; 
the  hands  made  a  vain  effort  to  continue  their  course ;  the 
wheels  remained  motionless  with  surprise;  the  weights 
hung  speechless ;  and  each  member  felt  disposed  to  lay 
the  blame  on  the  others. 

2.  At  length  the  dial  instituted2  a  formal  inquiry  into 
the  cause  of  the  stop ;  when  hands,  wheels,  weights,  with 


244  WILLSON'S  TRIED   READEE.  Pakt  IV. 

one  voice,  protested3  their  innocence.     But  now  a  faint 
tick  was  heard  below  from  the  pendulum,  who  thus  spoke : 

3.  "I  confess  myself  to  be  the  sole  cause  of  the  stop- 
page ;  and  I  am  willing,  for  the  general  satisfaction,  to  as- 
sign4 my  reasons.  The  truth  is,  that  I  am  tired  of  tick- 
ing." Upon  hearing  this,  the  old  clock  became  so  en- 
raged that  it  was  on  the  very  point  of  striking. 

4.  "Lazy  wire!"  exclaimed  the  dial-plate,  holding  up 
its  hands.  "  Yery  good!"  replied  the  pendulum.  "It  is 
vastly  easy  for  you,  Mistress  Dial,  who  have  always,  as 
every  body  knows,  set  yourself  up  above  me— it  is  vastly 
easy  for  you,  I  say,  to  accuse  other  people  of  laziness! 
You,  who  have  had  nothing  to  do  all  your  life  but  to 
stare  people  in  the  face,  and  to  amuse  yourself  with  watch 
ing  all  that  goes  on  in  the  kitchen !  Think  how  you 
would  like  to  be  shut  up  for  life  in  this  dark  closet,  and 
wag5  backward  and  forward,  year  after  year,  as  I  do." 

5.  "As  to  that,"  said  the  dial,  "is  there  not  a  window 
in  your  house  on  purpose  for  you  to  look  through?" 
"For  all  that,"  resumed  the  pendulum,  "it  is  very  dark 
here;  and,  although  there  is  a  window,  I  dare  not  stop, 
even  for  an  instant,  to  look  out.  Besides,  I  am  really  tired 
of  my  way  of  life ;  and,  if  you  wish,  I'll  tell  you  how  I 
took  this  disgust6  at  my  employment.  This  morning  I 
happened  to  be  calculating  how  many  times  I  should  have  to 
tick  in  the  course  of  only  the  next  twenty-four  hours ;  per- 
haps some  of  you,  above  there,  can  give  me  the  exact  sum." 

6.  The  minute-hand,  being  quick  at  figures,  instantly  re- 
plied, "  Eighty-six  thousand  four  hundred  times."  "  Ex- 
actly so,"  replied  the  pendulum.  "  Well,  I  appeal  to  you 
all,  if  the  thought  of  this  was  not  enough  to  fatigue  one? 
and  when  I  began  to  multiply  the  strokes  of  one  day  by 
those  of  months  and  years,  really  it  is  no  wonder  if  I  felt 
discouraged  at  the  prospect ;  so,  after  a  great  deal  of  rea- 
soning and  hesitation,  thinks  I  to  myself,  I'll  stop !" 

7.  The  dial  could  scarcely  keep  its  countenance  during 
this  harangue;7  but,  resuming  its  gravity,8  it  at  last  re- 


Part  IV.  MISCELLANEOUS.  245 

plied:  "Dear  Mr.  Pendulum,  I  am  really  astonished  that 
such  a  useful,  industrious  person  as  yourself  should  have 
been  overcome  by  this  suggestion.  It  is  true  you  have 
done  a  great  deal  of  work  in  your  time ;  so  have  we  all, 
and  are  likely  ^o  do ;  and,  though  this  may  fatigue  us  to 
think  of,  the  question  is,  will  it  fatigue  us  to  do  ?  Would 
you  now  do  me  the  favor  to  give  about  half  a  dozen  strokes 
to  illustrate9  my  argument  ?"  x 

8.  The  pendulum  complied,10  and  ticked  six  times  at  its 
usual  pace.  "Now,"  resumed  the  dial,  "may  I  be  allow- 
ed to  ask,  was  that  exertion  at  all  fatiguing  to  you?" 
"  Not  in  the  least,"  replied  the  pendulum;  "  it  is  not  of  six 
strokes  that  I  complain,  nor  of  sixty,  but  of  millions? 

9.  "  Yery  good,"  replied  the  dial;  "but  recollect  that, 
although  you  may  think  of  a  million  strokes  in  an  instant, 
you  are  required  to  execute11  but  one ;  and  that,  however 
often  you  may  hereafter  have  to  swing,  a  moment  will  al- 
ways be  given  you  to  swing  in." 

10.  "  That  consideration  staggers12  me,  I  confess,"  said 
the  pendulum.  "  Then  I  hope,"  resumed  the  dial-plate, 
"we  shall  all  immediately  return  to  our  duty;  for  the 
maids  will  be  in  bed  till  noon  if  we  stand  idling  thus." 

11.  Upon  this  the  weights,  who  had  never  been  accused 
of  light  conduct,  used  all  their  influence  in  urging  him  to 
proceed ;  when,  as  with  one  consent,  the  wheels  began  to 
turn,  the  hands  began  to  move,  the  pendulum  began  to 
swing,  and,  to  its  credit,  ticked  as  loud  as  ever;  while  a 
beam  of  the  rising  sun,  that  streamed  through  a  hole  in 
the  kitchen  shutter,  shining  full  upon  the  dial-plate,  made 
it  brighten  up  as  if  nothing  had  been  the  matter. 

12.  When  the  farmer  came  down  to  breakfast  that  morn- 
ing, upon  looking  at  the  clock,  he  declared  that  his  watch 
had  gained  half  an  hour  in  the  night.  Jane  Taylor. 


1  Fa'-ble,  a  feigned  story ;  a  fiction. 

2  In'-sti-tu-teb,  made  ;  established. 

3  Peo-teb-jt'-ed,  declared. 

4  As-sign',  give;  declare. 

5  Wag,  swing. 

6  Dis-gust',  dislike ;  dissatisfaction. 


7  Ha-kangtte'  (h«r-ang'),  speech. 
«  Grav'-i-ty,  seriousness  of  manner. 
9  Il-eus'-trate,  make  clear  ;  explain. 

10  Com-plied',  did  as  requested. 

11  Ex'-e-oute,  make ;  do:  perform. 

12  Stag'-gees,  causes  to  hesitate. 


246 


WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER. 


Rakt  IV. 


LESSON  II. 
SPRING. 


1.  Who  is  this  beauti- 
ful Virgin  that  approaches, 
clothed  in  a  robe  of  light 
green?  She  has  a  garland1 
of  flowers  on  her  head,  and 
flowers  spring  up  wherever 
she  goes. 

2.  The  snow  which  cov- 
ered the  fields,  and  the  ice 
which  was  in  the  rivers,  melt 
away  when  she  breathes  up- 
on them. 

3.  The  young  lambs  frisk 
about  her,  and  the  birds  war- 
ble2 in  their  little  throats,  to 
welcome  her  coming;  and 
when  they  see  her  they  be- 
gin to  choose  their  mates  and  to  build  their  nests. 

4.  Youths  and  maidens,  have  you  seen  this  beautiful 
Virgin,  beaming3  with  smiles  and  decked  with  beauty? 
If  you  have,  tell  me  who  she  is,  and  what  is  her  name. 

Behold,  the  young,  the  rosy  Spring 
Gives  to  the  breeze  her  scented  wing, 
While  virgin  graces,  warm  with  May, 
Fling  roses  o'er  the  dewy  way. 
The  murmuring  billows  of  the  deep 
Have  languished  into  silent  sleep;. 
And  mark  I  the  flitting  seabirds  lave4 
Their  plumes  in  the  reflecting  wave, 
While  cranes  from  hoary5  winter  fly 


Spring. 


To  flutter  in  a  kinder  sky. 


AXACREON. 


Past  IV. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


247 


LESSON  in. 

SUMMER. 

1.  Who  is  this  that  com- 
eth  from  the  south,  thinly 
clad  in  a  light  transparent6 
garment?  Her  breath  is  hot 
and  sultry:  she  seeks  the  re- 
freshment of  the  cool  shade; 
and  in  the  clear  streams  she 
bathes  her  languid7  limbs. 

2.  The  brooks  and  rivu- 
lets fly  from  her,  and  are 
dried  up  at  her  approach. 
She  cools  her  parched  lips 
with  berries  and  the  grateful 
acid  of  fruits — with  the  seedy  , 
melon,  the  sharp  apple,  and  n£ 
the  red  pulp  of  the  juicy  V,N 
cherry,  which  are  poured  out 
plentifully  around  her. 

3.  The  meadows  smile  at 
her  approach ;  golden  harvests  bow  before  her ;  the  hay- 
makers welcome  her  coming,  and  the  sheep-shearer,  who 
clips  the  fleeces  off  his  flock  with  his  sounding  shears. 

4.  When  she  cometh,  let  me  lie  under  the  thick  shade 
of  a  spreading  beech-tree — let  me  walk  with  her  in  the  early 
morning — let  me  wander  with  her  in  the  soft  twilight,  when 
the  shepherd  shuts  his  fold,  and  the  star  of  evening  appears. 

Now  Summer  brings  us  pleasant  hours,  and  dreamily  they 

glide, 
As  if  they  floated,  like  the  leaves,  upon  a  silver  tide ; 
The  trees  are  full  of  crimson  buds,  the  woods  are  full  of 

birds,  [words. 

And  the  waters  flow  to  music,  like  a  tune  with  pleasant 


Summer. 


248 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  IV. 


LESSON  IV. 

AUTUMN. 

1.  Who  is  lie  that  com- 
eth  with  sober  pace  and  a 
grave  countenance,  stealing 
upon  us  unawares?  His 
garments  are  red  with  the 
blood  of  the  grape,  and  his 
temples  are  bound  with  a 
sheaf  of  ripe  wheat. 

2.  His  hair  is  thin,  and 
begins  to  fall,  and  the  au- 
burn8 is  mixed  with  mourn- 

\  ful  gray.  He  shakes  the 
brown  nuts  from  the  tree. 
He  winds9  the  horn,  and 
calls  the  hunters  to  their 

■■  sport. 

3.  The  gun  sounds.  The 
trembling  partridge  and  the 

Autona.  beautiful   pheasant  flutter, 

bleeding,  in  the  air,  and  fall  dead  at  the  sportsman's  feet. 

4.  Who  is  he  that  shakes  the  nuts  from  the  tree,  and 
throws  a  mantle  of  frost  over  the  decaying  herbage?10 
Youths  and  maidens,  tell  me,  if  you  know.  Who  is  he, 
and  what  is  his  name  ? 


The  melancholy  days  are  come, 

The  saddest  of  the  year, 
Of  wailing  winds,  and  naked  woods, 

And  meadows  brown  and  sere.11 
Heaped  in  the  hollows  of  the  grove, 

The  Autumn  leaves  lie  dead ; 
They  rustle  to  the  eddying  gust, 

And  to  the  rabbit's  tread. 


Bryant. 


Part  IV. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


249 


LESSON  Y. 

WINTER. 

1.  Who  is  he  that  com- 
eth  from  the  north,  clothed 
in  furs  and  warm  wool? 
He  wraps  his  cloak  close 
about  him.  His  head  is 
bald :  his  beard  is  made  of 
sharp  icicles. 

2.  He  loves  the  blazing 
fire,  high  piled  upon  the 
hearth,12  and  a  good  warm 
dinner  upon  his  table.  He 
binds  skates  to  his  feet,  and 
skims  over  the  frozen  lakes. 

3.  His  breath  is  piercing  ^fi 
and  cold,  and  no  little  flow- 
er dares  to  show  itself  when 
he  is  by.     He  covers  the 
ground  with  whiteness ;  whatever  he  touches  turns  to  ice. 

4.  If  he  were  to  strike  you  with  his  cold  hand,  you 
would  be  quite  stiff  and  dead,  like  a  piece  of  marble. 
Youths  and  maidens,  do  you  see  him?  He  is  coming  fast 
upon  us,  and  soon  he  will  be  here.  Tell  me,  if  you  know, 
who  he  is,  and  what  is  his  name. 

The  bleak  wind  whistles — snow-showers,  far  and  near. 

Drift,  without  echo,  to  the  whitening  ground ; 
Autumn  hath  passed  away,  and,  cold  and  drear, 

Winter  stalks13  in,  with  frozen  mantle  bound. 

Mrs.  Norton. 


Winter. 


i  Gtar'-lanh,  wreath. 

2  War'-ble,  sing. 

=  Beam'-ing,  sending  forth,  like  rays  of 

light;  glowing. 
*  IxAVE,  bathe ;  wash. 
6  Hoar'-y,  white  with  snow. 
«  Trans-Aab'-knt,  thin  ;  that  may  be  seen 

through. 


7  Lan'-guib,  weary. 

8  Att'-bubn,  of  a  brown  color. 

9  Winds,  blows. 

io  Herb-a<je  (erb'-aje\  grass  ;  pasture. 

1 1  Sere,  dry ;  withered. 

12  Hearth  (JicirtK). 

13  Stalks,  walks  with  a  proud  step. 


L2 


250  WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER.  Part  IV. 


LESSON  VI. 

THE  STORY  OF  GEORGE  ANDREWS. 

1.  There  was  once  a  boy  named  George  Andrews, 
whose  father  sent  him  to  ride  a  few  miles  upon  an  errand, 
and  told  him  particularly  not  to  stop  by  the  way.  It  was 
a  beautiful  and  sunny  morning  in  the  spring;  and  as 
George  rode  along  by  the  green  fields,  and  heard  the  sing- 
ing of  the  birds  as  they  flew  from  tree  to  tree,  he  felt  as 
light-hearted  and  as  happy  as  they.  After  doing  his  er- 
rand, however,  as  he  was  returning  by  the  house  where 
two  of  his  friends  and  playmates  lived,  he  could  not  resist 
the  temptation  just  to  call  a  moment  to  see  them.  He 
thought  there  would  be  no  great  harm  if  he  merely  stopped 
a  minute  or  two,  and  his  parents  would  never  know  it. 

2.  Here  commenced  his  sin.  George  stopped,  and  was 
led1  to  remain  longer  and  longer,  till  he  found  he  had 
passed  two  hours  in  play.  Then,  with  a  troubled  con- 
science, he  mounted  his  horse  and  set  his  face  toward 
home.  The  fields  looked  as  green  and  the  skies  as  bright 
and  cloudless  as  when  he  rode  along  in  the  morning ;  but 
oh,  how  different  were  his  feelings!  Then  he  was  inno- 
cent and  happy;  now  he  was  guilty  and  wretched.  He 
tried  to  feel  easy,  but  he  could  not ;  conscience  reproach- 
ed2 him  with  his  sin.  He  rode  sadly  along,  thinking  what 
excuse  he  should  make  to  his  parents  for  his  long  absence, 
and  by-and-by  he  saw  his  father  at  a  distance  coming  to 
meet  him. 

3.  His  father,  fearing  that  some  accident  had  happened, 
had  left  home  in  search  of  his  son.  George  trembled  and 
turned  pale  as  he  saw  his  father  approaching,  and  hesi- 
tated whether  he  had  better  confess  the  truth  at  once  and 
ask  forgiveness,  or  endeavor  to  hide  the  crime  with  a  lie. 
Oh,  how  much  better  it  would  have  been  for  him  if  he  had 
acknowledged3  the  truth!  But  one  sin  almost  always 
leads  to  another.     When  this  kind  father  met  his  son  with 


Part  IV.  MISCELLANEOUS.  251 

a  smile,  George  said,  "  Father,  I  lost  the  road,  and  it  took 
me  some  time  to  get  back  again,  and  that  is  the  reason 
why  I  have  been  gone  so  long." 

4.  His  father  had  never  known  him  to  be  guilty  of 
falsehood  before,  and  he  did  not  doubt  that  what  he  said 
was  true.  But  oh,  how  guilty,  and  ashamed,  and  wretch- 
ed did  George  feel  as  he  rode  along !  His  peace  of  mind 
was  destroyed.  A  heavy  weight  of  conscious  guilt  press- 
ed upon  his  heart.  He  went  home  and  repeated  the  lie  to 
his  mother.  It  is  always  thus  when  we  turn  from  the 
path  of  duty ;  we  know  not  how  widely  we  shall  wander. 
Having  committed  one  fault,  he  told  a  lie  to  conceal  it,  and 
then  added  sin  to  sin  by  repeating  and  persisting4  in  his 
falsehood. 

5.  What  a  change  had  one  short  day  produced  in  the 
character  and  happiness  of  George !  His  parents  had  not 
yet  detected  him  in  his  sin,  but  he  was  not,  on  that  account, 
free  from  punishment.  Conscience  was  at  work,  telling 
him  that  he  was  degraded5  and  guilty.  His  look  of  inno- 
cence and  his  lightness  of  heart  had  left  him.  He  was 
ashamed  to  look  his  father  or  mother  in  the  face.  He 
tried  to  appear  easy  and  happy,  but  he  was  uneasy  and 
miserable.  A  heavy  load  of  conscious  guilt  rested  upon 
him  which  destroyed  all  his  peace. 

6.  When  George  retired  to  bed  that  night  he  feared  the 
dark.  It  was  long  before  he  could  quiet  his  troubled 
spirit  with  sleep.  And  when  he  awoke  in  the  morning, 
the  consciousness  of  his  guilt  had  not  forsaken  him.  There 
it  remained  fixed  deep  in  his  heart,  and  would  allow  him 
no  peace.     He  was  guilty,  and  of  course  wretched. 

7.  The  first  thought  which  occurred  to  him  on  waking 
was  the  lie  of  the  preceding  day.  He  could  not  forget  it. 
He  was  afraid  to  go  into  the  room  where  his  parents  were, 
lest  thsy  should  discover  by  his  appearance  that  he  had 
been  doing  something  wrong.  And  though,  as  weeks 
passed  away,  the  acuteness6  of  his  feelings  in  some  degree 
abated,7  he  was  all  the  time  disquieted8  and  unhappy.    He 


252  WILLSCXN'S  THIRD   READER.  Part  IV. 

was  continually  fearing  that  something  would  occur  which 
should  lead  to  his  detection. 

8.  Thus  things  went  on  for  several  weeks,  till  one  day  the 
gentleman  at  whose  house  he  stopped  called  at  his  father's 
on  business.  As  soon  as  George  saw  him  come  into  the 
house,  his  heart  beat  violently,  and  he  turned  pale  with 
the  fear  that  something  would  be  said  that  would  bring 
the  whole  truth  to  light.  The  gentleman,  after  convers- 
ing a  few  moments  with  his  father,  turned  to  George  and 
said,  "Well,  how  did  you  get  home  the  other  day?  My 
boys  had  a  very  pleasant  visit  from  you." 

9.  Can  you  imagine  how  George  felt  then  ?  You  could 
almost  have  heard  his  heart  beat.  The  blood  rushed  into 
his  face,  and  he  could  not  speak,  and  he  dared  not  raise 
his  eyes  from  the  floor.  There !  the  whole  truth  was  out ; 
and  how  do  you  suppose  he  felt?  He  had  disobeyed  his 
parents,  told  a  lie  to  conceal  it,  had  for  weeks  suffered  the 
pangs  of  a  guilty  conscience,  and  now  the  whole  truth  was 
discovered.  He  stood  before  his  parents  overwhelmed 
with  shame,  convicted9  of  disobedience,  and  mean,  degrad- 
ing falsehood. 

10.  George  was  all  the  time  suffering  the  consequences 
of  his  sin.  For  many  days  he  was  enduring  the  reproaches 
of  conscience,  when  the  knowledge  of  his  crime  was  con- 
fined to  his  own  bosom.  How  bitterly  did  he  suffer  for 
the  few  moments  of  forbidden  pleasure  he  had  enjoyed. 
The  way  of  the  transgressor  is  always  hard.  Every  child 
who  does  wrong  must,  to  a  greater  or  less  degree,  feel  the 
same  sorrows.  This  guilty  boy,  overwhelmed  with  con- 
fusion and  disgrace,  burst  into  tears,  and  implored  his  pa- 
rents' forgiveness.  But  he  was  told  by  his  parents  that  he 
had  sinned  not  only  against  them,  but  against  God.  The 
humble  child  went  to  God  in  penitence  and  in  prayer. 
He  made  a  full  confession  of  all  to  his  parents^  and  obtain- 
ed their  forgiveness ;  and  it  was  not  till  then  that  peace  of 
mind  was  restored. 

11.  If  you  have  done  wrong,  confess  it  at  once.     False- 


Part  IV.  MISCELLANEOUS.         ^  253 

hood  will  but  increase  your  sin  and  aggravate10  your  sor- 
row. Whenever  you  are  tempted  to  say  that  which  is  un- 
true, look  forward  to  the  consequences.  Think  how  much 
sorrow,  and  shame,  and  sin  you  will  bring  upon  yourself. 
Think  of  the  reproaches  of  conscience,  for  you  may  de- 
pend upon  it  that  those  reproaches  are  not  easily  borne. 

Abbott. 


'  Led,  induced. 

2  Re-proach'ed,  blamed  ;  censured. 

3  Ac-knowl'-edged,  told  ;  confessed. 

4  Pee-sist'-itsq,  continuing. 

6  De-gead'-ed,  lowered  in  character. 


6  A-«Cte'-ness,  sharpness ;  severe  suffer- 
ing. 

7  A-bat'-ed,  grew  less. 

8  Dis-QUl'-ET-ED,  made  uneasy  or  restless. 

9  €on-vi€t'-ei>,  proved  guilty. 
10  ag'-gra-vatf,  increase. 


LESSON  VII. 

MY  MOTHER'S  GRAVE. 

"I  had  a  mother  once,  like  you, 
Who  o'er  my  pillow  hung, 
Kissed  from  my  cheek  the  briny  dew, 
And  taught  my  faltering  tongue. 

"But  then  there  came  a  fearful  day : 
I  sought  my  mother's  bed, 
Till  harsh  hands  tore  me  thence  away, 
And  told  me  she  was  dead." — Anonymous. 

1.  It  was  thirteen  years  since  my  mother's  death,  when, 
after  a  long  absence  from  my  native  village,  I  stood  beside 
the  sacred  mound  beneath  which  I  had  seen  her  buried. 
Since  that  mournful  period  a  great  change  had  come  oyer 
me.  My  childish  years  had  passed  away,  and  with  them 
my  youthful  character.  The  world  was  altered  too ;  and, 
as  I  stood  at  my  mother's  grave,  I  could  hardly  realize 
that  I  was  the  same  thoughtless,  happy  creature,  whose 
cheeks  she  had  so  often  kissed  in  an  excess  of  tenderness. 

2.  But  the  varied  events  of  thirteen  years  had  not  ef- 
faced1 the  remembrance  of  that  mother's  smile.  It  seem- 
ed as  if  I  had  seen  her  but  yesterday — as  if  the  blessed 
sound  of  her  well-remembered  voice  was  yet  in  my  ear. 
The  gay  dreams  of  my  infancy  and  childhood  were  brought 
back  so  distinctly  to  my  mind  that,  had  it  not  been  for  one 


254  ^ILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Part  IV. 

bitter  recollection,  the  tears  I  shed  would  have  been  gen- 
tle and  refreshing.  The  circumstance  may  seem  a  trifling 
one,  but  the  thought  of  it  now  pains  my  heart,  and  I  re- 
late it  that  those  children  who  have  parents  to  love  them 
may  learn  to  value  them  as  they  ought. 

3.  My  mother  had  been  ill  a  long  time,  and  I  became  so 
accustomed  to  her  pale  face  and  weak  voice  that  I  was  not 
frightened  at  them,  as  children  usually  are.  At  first,  it  is 
true,  I  sobbed  violently ;  but  when,  day  after  day,  I  return- 
ed from  school  and  found  her  the  same,  I  began  to  believe 
that  she  would  always  be  spared  to  me.  But  they  told  me 
she  would  die. 

4.  One  day,  when  I  had  lost  my  place  in  the  class,  and 
had  done  my  work  wrong,  I  came  home  discouraged  and 
fretful.  I  went  to  my  mother's  chamber.  She  was  paler 
than  usual,  but  she  met  me  with  the  same  affectionate 
smile  that  always  welcomed  my  return.  Alas!  when  I 
look  back  through  the- lapse  of  thirteen  years,  I  think  my 
heart  must  have  been  stone  not  to  have  been  melted  by  it. 
She  requested  me  to  go  down  stairs  and  bring  her  a  glass 
of  water.  I  pettishly2  asked  why  she  did  not  call  a  do- 
mestic to  do  it.  With  a  look  of  mild  reproach  which  I 
shall  never  forget  if  I  live  to  be  a  hundred  years  old,  she 
said,  "And  will  not  my  child  bring  a  glass  of  water  for 
her  poor  sick  mother?" 

5.  I  went  and  brought  her  the  water,  but  I  did  not  do 
it  kindly.  Instead  of  smiling  and  kissing  her,  as  I  was 
wont3  to  do,  I  set  the  glass  down  very  quickly,  and  left 
the  room.  After  playing  about  a  short  time,  I  went  to  bed 
without  bidding  my  mother  good-night.  But  when,  alone 
in  my  room,  in  darkness  and  in  silence,  I  remembered  how 
pale  she  looked,  and  how  her  voice  trembled  when  she 
said,  "  Will  not  my  child  bring  a  glass  of  water  for  her 
poor  sick  mother?"  I  could  not  sleep.  I  stole  into  her 
chamber  to  ask  forgiveness.  She  had  sunk  into  an  easy 
slumber,  and  they  told  me  I  must  not  waken  her.  I  did 
not  tell  any  one  what  troubled  me,  but  stole  back  to  my 


Part  IV.  MISCELLANEOUS.  255 

bed,  resolved  to  rise  early  in  the  morning  and  tell  her  how 
sorry  I  was  for  my  conduct. 

6.  The  sun  was  shining  brightly  when  I  awoke,  and, 
hurrying  on  my  clothes,  I  hastened  to  my  mother's  cham- 
ber. She  was  dead !  she  never  spoke  more — never  smiled 
upon  me  again ;  and  when  I  touched  the  hand  that  used 
to  rest  upon  my  head  in  blessing,  it  was  so  cold  that  it 
made  me  start.  I  bowed  down  by  her  side  and  sobbed  in 
the  bitterness4  of  my  heart.  I  thought  then  that  I  wished 
to  die  and  be  buried  with  her.  And,  old  as  I  now  am, 
I  would  give  worlds,  were  they  mine  to  give,  could  my 
mother  but  have  lived  to  tell  me  that  she  forgave  my 
childish  ingratitude.5  But  I  can  not  call  her  back;  and 
when  I  stand  by  her  grave,  and  whenever  I  think  of  her 
manifold6  kindness,  the  memory  of  that  reproachful  look 
she  gave  me  will  bite  like  a  serpent  and  sting  like  an 
adder. 

1  Ef-facep',  removed.  I  *  BYt'-ter-ness,  keen  sorrow ;  anguish. 

2  Pet'-tish-ly,  fretfully.  s  In-gkat'-i-tude,  unthankfulness. 

3  Wont,  accustomed.  |  «  MXn'-i-fold,  many  in  number. 


LESSON  VIIL 

THE  OLD  ARM-CHAIR. 
Miss  Eliza  Cook. 

1.  I  love  it,  I  love  it;  and  who  shall  dare 

To  chide1  me  for  loving  that  old  arm-chair  ? 

I've  treasured  it  long  as  a  sainted2  prize,  [sighs ; 

I've  bedewed3  it  with  tears,  and  embalmed4  it  With 

'Tis  bound  by  a  thousand  bands  to  my  heart ; 

Not  a  tie  will  break,  not  a  link  will  start. 

Would  ye  learn  the  spell  ?     A  mother  sat  there ; 

And  a  sacred  thing  is  that  old  arm-chair. 

2.  In  childhood's  hour  I  lingered  near 
The  hallowed  seat  with  listening  ear, 
And  heeded  the  words  of  truth  that  fell 
From  the  lips  of  a  mother  that  loved  me  well ; 


256 


willson's  third  reader, 


Fart  IV. 


She  told  me  shame  would  never  betide5 
With  truth  for  my  creed  and  God  for  my  guide ; 
She  taught  me  to  lisp  my  earliest  prayer 
As  I  knelt  beside  that  old  arm-chair. 

I  sat  and  watched  her  many  a  day, 

When  her  eye  grew  dim  and  her  locks  were  gray ; 

And  I  almost  worshiped  her  when  she  smiled, 

And  turned  from  her  Bible  to  bless  her  child. 

Years  rolled  on ;  but  the  last  one  sped — 

My  idol  was  shattered,  my  earth  star  fled ; 

I  learned  how  much  the  heart  can  bear 

When  I  saw  her  die  in  that  old  arm-chair. 

Tis  past !  'tis  past !  but  I  gaze  on  it  now 
With  quivering  breath  and  throbbing  brow : 
'Twas  there  she  nursed  me ;  'twas  there  she  died ; 
And  memory  flows  with  lava6  tide. 
Say  it  is  folly,  and  deem  me  weak, 
While  the  scalding  drops  start  down  my  cheek ; 
But  I  love  it,  I  love  it,  and  can  not  tear 
My  soul  from  my  mother's  old  arm-chair. 


i  Chide,  scold  at ;  reprove. 

2  Saint'-ed,  holy. 

3  Be-dew'ep,  moistened. 


*  Em-balm'ed,   preserved    with  care   and 
affection. 

5  Be-tide',  happen ;  come  upon. 

6  La'-va,  like  a  stream  of  lava.. 


LESSON  IX. 

THE  JOURNEY  OF  A  DAY. 

A   PICTURE   OF   HUMAN   LIFE. 

1.  Obidah,  the  son  of  Abensina,  left  the  caravansary J 
early  in  the  morning,  and  pursued  his  journey  through 
the  plains  of  Hindostan.2 

2.  He  was  fresh  and  vigorous  with  rest;  he  was  ani- 
mated with  hope;  he  was  incited3  by  desire;  he  walked 
swiftly  forward  over  the  valleys,  and  saw  the  hills  grad- 
ually rising  before  him. 


Part  IV.  MISCELLANEOUS.  257 

3.  As  he  passed  along,  his  ears  were  delighted  with  the 
morning  song  of  the  bird  of  Paradise ;  he  was  fanned  by 
the  last  flutters  of  the  sinking  breeze,  and  sprinkled  with 
dew  by  groves  of  spices. 

4.  He  sometimes  contemplated4  the  towering  height  of 
the  oak,  monarch  of  the  hills ;  and  sometimes  caught  the 
gentle  fragrance  of  the  primrose,  eldest  daughter  of  the 
spring.  All  his  senses  were  gratified,  and  all  care  was 
banished  from  his  heart. 

5.  Thus  he  went  on  till  the  sun  approached  its  merid- 
ian, and  the  increased  heat  preyed  on  his  strength.  He 
then  looked  about  him,  hoping  for  some  more  convenient 
path. 

6.  He  saw,  on  his  right  hand,  a  grove  that  seemed  to 
wave  its  shades  as  a  sign  of  invitation ;  he  entered  it,  and 
found  the  coolness  and  verdure  irresistibly  pleasant. 

7.  He  did  not,  however,  forget  whither  he  was  travel- 
ing, but  found  a  narrow  way,  bordered  with  flowers, 
which  appeared  to  have  the  same  direction  with  the  main 
road. 

8.  He  was  pleased  that,  by  this  happy  experiment,  he 
had  found  means  to  unite  pleasure  with  business,  and  to 
gain  the  rewards  of  diligence  without  suffering  its  fatigues. 

9.  He  therefore  walked  for  a  time  without  the  least 
remission5  of  his  ardor,6  except  that  he  was  sometimes 
tempted  to  stop  by  the  music  of  the  birds  which  the  heat 
had  assembled  in  the  shade ;  and  sometimes  amused  him- 
self with  plucking  the  flowers  that  covered  the  banks  on 
each  side,  or  the  fruits  that  hung  on  the  branches. 

10.  At  last  the  green  path  began  to  decline7  from  its 
first  tendency,8  and  to  wind  among  the  hills  and  thickets, 
cooled  with  fountains  and  murmuring  with  waterfalls. 
Here  Obidah  paused  for  a  time,  and  began  to  consider 
whether  it  was  longer  safe  to  forsake  the  known  and  com- 
mon track. 

11.  He  remembered,  however,  that  the  heat  was  now  in 
its  greatest  violence,  and  that  the  plain  was  dusty  and  un- 


258 


willson's  third  reader. 


Part  IV. 


even,  and  resolved  to  pursue  the  new  path,  which  he  sup- 
posed only  to  make  a  few  meanders,9  in  compliance  with 
the  variations  of  the  ground,  and  to  end  at  last  in  the  com- 
mon road. 

12.  Having  thus  calmed  his  solicitude,10  he  renewed  his 
pace,  though  he  suspected  that  he  was  not  gaining  ground. 
This  uneasiness  of  his  mind  inclined  him  to  lay  hold  on 
every  new  object,  and  give  way  to  every  sensation  that 
might  soothe  or  divert  him. 

13.  He  listened  to  every  echo ;  he  mounted  every  hill 
for  a  fresh  prospect;  he  turned  aside  to  every  cascade;11 
and  pleased  himself  with  tracing  the  course  of  a  gentle 
river  which  rolled  among  the  trees,  and  watered  a  large 
region  with  innumerable  windings. 

14.  In  these  amusements  the  hours  passed  away  un- 
counted ;  his  deviations12  had  perplexed  his  memory,  and 
he  knew  not  toward  what  point  to  travel.  He  stood  pen- 
sive and  confused,  afraid  to  go  forward,  lest  he  should  go 
wrong,  yet  conscious  that  the  time  of  loitering  was  now 
past. 

15.  While  he  was  thus  tortured  with  uncertainty,  the 
sky  was  overspread  with  clouds,  the  day  vanished  from 
before  him,  and  a  tempest  gathered  round  him.  He  was 
roused  by  his  danger  to  a  painful  reflection  on  his  folly. 

16.  He  now  saw  how  happiness  is  lost  when  ease  is  con- 
sulted. He  lamented  the  unmanly  impatience  that  prompt- 
ed him  to  seek  shelter  in  the  grove,  and  despised  the  pet- 
ty curiosity  which  had  led  him  on  from  trifle  to  trifle. 


i  €ab-a-van'-sa-ry,  a  kind  of  inn  where 
caravans  rest  at  night. 

2  Hin-do-btan',  a  country  of  Asia. 

3  In-oit'-ed,  urged  on. 

*  Con'-tkm-tla-ted,  considered  with  atten- 
tion ;  meditated  on. 

•  Uk-mis'-sion,  lessening ;  abatement. 


6  aV-ixvr,  eagerness. 

7  Pe-tlTne',  turn  aside. 

8  Tend'-en-cy,  direction. 

9  Me-an'-der*,  turnings. 
10  So-lic'-i-tudk,  anxiety. 

ii  t'AR-<Ai)E',  little  waterfall, 
is  De-vi-a'-tion,  turning  aside. 


Pakt  IV.  MISCELLANEOUS.  259 


LESSON  X. 

JOURNEY  OF  A  DAY—  Continued. 

1.  He  now  resolved  to  do  what  yet  remained  in  his 
power;  to  tread  back  the  ground  which  he  had  passed, 
and  try  to  find  some  issue1  where  the  wood  might  open 
into  the  plain. 

i.  He  prostrated  himself  on  the  ground,  and  commend- 
ed his  life  to  the  Lord  of  nature.  He  rose  with  confidence 
and  tranquillity,  and  pressed  on  with  resolution. 

3.  The  beasts  of  the  desert  were  in  motion,  and  on  every 
hand  were  heard  the  mingled  howls  of  rage  and  terror. 
The  horrors  of  darkness  surrounded  him ;  the  winds  roar- 
ed in  the  woods,  and  the  torrents  tumbled  from  the  hills. 

4.  Thus,  forlorn  and  distressed,  he  wandered  through 
the  wild,  without  knowing  whither  he  was  going,  or 
whether  he  was  every  moment  drawing  nearer  to  safety 
or  to  destruction. 

5.  At  length,  not  fear,  but  labor  began  to  overcome  him ; 
his  breath  became  short ;  his  knees  trembled ;  and  he  was 
on  the  point  of  lying  down,  in  resignation2  to  his  fate,  when 
he  beheld  through  the  'brambles  the  glimmer3  of  a  taper. 

6.  He  advanced  toward  the  light,  and  finding  that  it 
proceeded  from  the  cottage  of  a  hermit,  he  called  humbly 
at  the  door  and  obtained  admission.  The  old  man  set  be- 
fore him  such  provisions  as  he  had  collected  for  himself, 
on  which  Obidah  fed  with  eagerness  and  gratitude. 

7.  "When  the  repast4  was  over,  "  Tell  me,"  said  the  her- 
mit, "by  what  circumstance  thou  hast  been  brought  hith- 
er. I  have  been  now  twenty  years  an  inhabitant  of  this 
wilderness,  in  which  I  never  saw  a  man  before."  Obidah 
then  related  the  occurrences  of  his  journey,  without  any 
concealment  or  palliation.5 

8.  "Son,"  said  the  hermit,  "let  the  errors  and  follies, 
the  dangers  and  escapes  of  this  day  sink  deep  into  thy 
heart    Eemember  that  human  life  is  the  journey  of  a  day. 


260  WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER.  Part  IV. 

9.  "We  rise  in  the  morning  of  youth,  full  of  vigor  and 
full  of  expectation ;  we  set  forward  with  spirit  and  hope, 
and  travel  on  awhile  in  the  direct  road  of  integrity  and 
piety  toward  the  mansion  of  rest. 

10.  "  In  a  short  time  we  remit6  our  fervor,7  and  endeav- 
or to  find  some  mitigation8  of  our  duty.  We  then  relax 
our  vigor,  and  resolve  no  longer  to  be  terrified  with  crimes 
at  a  distance,  but  rely  on  our  own  constancy,  and  venture 
to  approach  what  we  once  resolved  never  to  touch. 

11.  "  We  thus  enter  the  bowers  of  ease,  and  repose  in 
the  shades  of  obscurity.  Here  the  heart  softens,  and  vigi- 
lance subsides.  We  are  then  willing  to  inquire  whether 
another  advance  can  not  be  made,  and  whether  we  may 
not,  at  least,  turn  our  eyes  upon  the  gardens  of  pleasure. 

12.  "  We  approach  them  with  scruple9  and  hesitation ; 
we  enter  them,  but  enter  timorous10  and  trembling ;  and 
always  hope  to  pass  through  them  without  losing  the  road 
of  virtue,  whicfy,  for  a  while,  we  keep  in  our  sight,  and  to 
which  we  purpose11  to  return. 

13.  "  Temptation  succeeds  temptation,  and  one  compli- 
ance prepares  us  for  another;  in  time  we  lose  the  happi- 
ness of  innocence,  and  solace12  our  disquiet  with  sensual 
gratifications.  By  degrees  we  forget  our  original  inten- 
tion, and  quit  the  only  adequate13  object  of  rational  desire. 

14.  "  We  entangle  ourselves  in  business,  immerge14  our- 
selves in  luxury,  and  rove  through  the  labyrinths15  of 
pleasure,  till  the  darkness  of  old  age  begins  to  invade16  us, 
and  disease  and  anxiety  obstruct  our  way.  We  then  look 
back  upon  our  lives  with  horror,  with  sorrow,  with  repent- 
ance ;  and  wish,  but  too  often  vainly  wish,  that  we  had 
not  forsaken  the  ways  of  virtue. 

15.  "  Happy  are  they,  my  son,  who  shall  learn  from  thy 
example  not  to  despair,  but  shall  remember  that,  though 
the  day  is  past  and  their  strength  is  wasted,  there  yet  re- 
mains one  effort  to  be  made;  that  reformation  is  never 
hopeless,  or  sincere  endeavors  ever  unassisted;  that  the 
wanderer  may  at  length  return,  after  all  his  errors ;  and 


Part  IV. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


261 


that  he  who  implores  strength  and  courage  from  above 
will  find  danger  and  difficulty  give  way  before  him. 

16.  "Go  now,  my  son,  to  thy  repose ;  commit  thyself  to 
the  (fare  of  Omnipotence  ;17  and  when  the  morning  calls 
again  to  toil,  begin  anew  thy  journey  and  thy  life." 

S.  Johnson. 


I  Is'-SHE  (ish'-u),  passage  out ;  path, 
a  Kes-ig-na'-tion,  submission ;    abandon- 
ment. 
3  Glim'-meb,  faint  light. 
*  Re-past',  meal. 
6  Pal-li-a'-tion,  excuse. 

6  Re-mtt',  relax. 

7  Feu'-voe,  eagerness ;  ardor. 

e  Mit-i-ga'-tion,  softening;    making   less 
severe. 


9  Scrtj'-ple,  doubt. 
io  Tim'-or-ous,  fearful. 

11  Pub'-pose,  intend. 

12  Sol/ -ace,  console ;  relieve. 

13  Ad'-e-quate,  suitable  ;  proper. 

14  Im-meege',  plunge  into. 

15  Lab'-y-eintiis,  windings  ;  mazes. 
!6  In-vade',  come  upon ;  assail. 

17  Om-nip'-o-tence,  God. 


LESSON  XI. 

THE  FROST. 

1.  The  frost  looked  forth  one  still,  clear  night, 
And  whispered,  "  Now  I  shall  be  out  of  sight ; 
So  through  the  valley  and  over  the  height 

In  silence  I'll  take  my  way. 
I  will  not  go  on  like  that  blustering  train, 
The  wind  and  the  snow,  the  hail  and  the  rain, 
Who  make  so  much  bustle  and  noise  in  vain, . 

But  I'll  be  as  busy  as  they." 

2.  Then  he  flew  to  the  mountain  and  powdered  its  crest ; 
He  lit  on  the  trees,  and  their  boughs  he  dress'd 

In  diamond  beads — and  over  the  breast 

Of  the  quivering  lake  he  spread 
A  coat  of  mail,  that  need  not  fear 
The  downward  point  of  many  a  spear 
That  he  hung  on  its  margin,  far  and  near, 

Where  a  rock  could  rear  its  head. 

3.  He  went  to  the  window  of  those  who  slept, 
And  over  each  pane,  like  a  fairy  crept ; 
Wherever  he  breathed,  wherever  he  stepp'd, 

By  the  light  of  the  morn  were  seen 


262  h  WILLSON'S  THIRD  READER.  Part  IV. 

Most  beautiful  things ;  there  were  flowers  and  trees ; 
There  were  bevies1  of  birds  and  swarms  of  bees ; 
There  were  cities  with  temples  and  towers ;  and  these 
All  pictures  in  silver  sheen  !2  * 

4.  But  he  did  one  thing  that  was  hardly  fair ; 
He  peep'd  in  the  cupboard,  and  finding  there 
That  all  had  forgotten  for  him  to  prepare, 

"  Now  just  to  set  them  a  thinking, 
I'll  bite  this  basket  of  fruit,"  said  he, 
" This  costly  pitcher  I'll  burst  in  three; 
And  the  glass  of  water  they've  left  for  me 

Shall  '  tchick!'  to  tell  them  I'm  drinking!" 

H.  F.  Gould. 
i  Bey'-ies,  flocks.  2  SnEEN,  brightness. 


THE  NINE  PARTS  OF  SPEECH. 

1.  Three  little  words  you  often  see 
Are  Articles — a,  an,  and  the. 

2.  A  Noun's  the  name  of  any  thing, 
As  school  or  garden,  hoop  or  swing. 

3.  Adjectives  tell  the  kind  of  noun, 
As  great,  small,  pretty,  white,  or  brown. 

4.  Instead  of  nouns  the  Pronouns  stand — 
Her  head,  his  face,  your  arm,  my  hand. 

5.  Verbs  tell  of  something  to  be  done — 
To  read,  count,  sing,  laugh,  jump,  or  run. 

6.  How  things  are  done  the  Adverbs  tell, 
As  slowly,  quickly,  ill,  or  well. 

7.  Conjunctions  join  the  words  together, 
As  men  and  women,  wind  or  weather. 

8.  The  Preposition  stands  before 
A  noun,  as  at  or  through  the  doOr. 

9.  The  Interjection  shows  surprise, 
As  ah  I  how  pretty — oh  !  how  wise. 

The  whole  are  called  nine  parts  of  speech. 
Which  reading,  writing,  speaking  teach. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


LESSON  XII. 
TRUST  IN  GOD  AND  DO  THE  RIGHT. 

1.  Courage,  brother !  do  not  stumble, 

Though  thy  path  is  dark  as  night ; 
There's  a  star  to  guide  the  humble — 
Trust  in  God  and  do  the  right. 

2.  Let  the  road  be  long  and  dreary, 

And  its  ending  out  of  sight ; 
Foot  it  bravely — strong  or  weary, 
Trust  in  God  and  do  the  right. 

3.  Perish  "policy"  and  cunning, 

Perish  all  that,  fears  the  light ; 

Whether  losing,  whether  winning, 

Trust  in  God  and  do  the  right. 

4.  Trust  no  party,  trust  no  faction, 

Trust  no  leaders  in  the  fight ; 
But  in  every  word  and  action 
Trust  in  God  and  do  the  right. 

5.  Trust  no  forms  of  guilty  passion, 

Fiends  can  look  like  angels  bright; 
Trust  no  custom,  school,  or  fashion, 
Trust  in  God  and  do  the  right. 

6.  Some  will  hate  thee,  some  will  love  thee, 

Some  will  flatter,  some  will  slight ; 
Turn  from  man,  and  look  above  thee, 
Trust  in  God  and  do  the  right. 

7.  Simple  rule  and  safest  guiding, 

Inward  peace  and  inward  light; 
Star  upon  our  path  abiding, 
Trust  in  God  and  do  the  right. 


264  WILLSON'S  THIRD   READER.  Part  IV, 


LESSON  XIII. 

GOD  IS  LOVE. 

1.  When,  courting  slumber, 
The  hours  I  number, 
And  sad  cares  cumber 

My  wearied  mind ; 
This  thought  shall  cheer  me, 
That  thou  art  near  me, 
Whose  ear  to  hear  me 

Is  still  inclined. 

2.  My  soul  thou  keepest, 
Who  never  sleepest ; 
'Mid  gloom  the  deepest 

There's  light  above. 
Thine  eyes  behold  me, 
Thine  arms  enfold  me, 
Thy  word  has  told  me 

That  God  is  love. 


DAILY  COUNSEL. 

Be  not  false,  unkind,  or  cruel ; 

Banish  evil  words  and  strife ; 
Keep  thy  heart  a  temple  holy ; 
Love  the  lovely,  aid  the  lowly ; 
Thus  shall  each  day  be  a  jewel 

Strung  upon  thy  thread  of  life. 


VB  36860 


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